The ancient curse of love PART I of III
by Bundyangel
Summary: A simple mission gone wrong. With an ancient jutsu changed with his own twist, Orochimaru has come back to screw with Sakura's life. Unfortunately he brought the man who knows just how to screw with her heart. SasuXSaku COMPLETE
1. Ch1: You have a mission!

**Bundyangel:** Hey everyone! This is my first fan fiction. I love it to death! Anyway this is the first story I'm writing in a 3 part series or trilogy I guess. Please enjoy and review. I give plushies to reviewers who are awesome.

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**Disclaimer:**

**Me**: As much as I wish I do not own any of the Naruto characters in this anime/manga if I did the anime would have less damn fillers and things would be VERY different.

**Sasuke**: Oh? Like how?

**Me**: (gets a evil genius grin) Oh you'll see my dear you'll see…

**Sasuke**: Whatever.

**Me**: Did you just sass me boy? I can put you in the cage with Lee and Gai again. I would give them free reign to use spandex on you! You know I would!

**Sasuke**: (Pales considerably) You…. evil…. bitc-

**Me**: Mwuahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!! Don't push me Sasuke you know I'm insane enough to do it!

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"baaaka"- regular speech

'_baaaka'_-thoughts

'_**Baaaka!!!'**_- Inner self's

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The Ancient Curse of Love Part I of III

Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 1: You have a mission!

By Bundyangel

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Sakura yawned and threw her loudly beeping alarm clock against the opposite wall. Blinking for a minute at it when it left a small hole in her wall she glared at it and got up sighing as she began her day.

Sakura was and wasn't your average konoichi. She had not many extreme jutsus, had no bloodline limit, and except for the fact she trained under the legendary sennin and 5th hokage Tsunade, she wasn't even that interesting. But the fact of the matter was that she did train under the 5th hokage and she did learn amazing things. From Tsunade Sakura had become one of the strongest medical ninja the hidden village of Konoha had to offer. Sakura never told anyone about her jutsus, when she learned them, how she did, how powerful they were, nothing. Ever since her love Sasuke Uchiha had left 3 years ago shredding her heart in the process, Sakura had made a vow to never cry for him, herself, or anyone ever again. And she hadn't. She vowed to prove herself stronger smarter faster and better then all other shinobi in her field. Under Tsunade's guidance she was on her way to completing her goal. (Now back to the story at hand!)

Sakura quickly jumped into the shower and toweled off. Pulling on her ninja clothes and her weapons pouch she finished with tying her headband on top of her head. Cracking her knuckles and glancing at the wall clock in her kitchen Sakura dropped the toast she was going to take a bite from and rushed out of her house realizing she was already 5 minuets late.

"Damn it! I can't even eat breakfast in the morning! Tsunade makes appointments too early!" Sakura gave one loud groan before sprinting from her house and jumping from roof to roof heading for the hokage tower.

Sliding to a stop in front of Shizune's desk, Sakura was slightly red in the face and she bowed low to Shizune saying apologies for being late. Standing up strait Sakura blocked out her scolding from Shizune on tardiness and looking around Sakura was even more mortified to find that she was the last person to arrive. Even Naruto was on time sitting next to Hinata, holding the Hyuuga heiress's hand and talking rapidly to her in a low voice. Along with Naruto and Hinata there was also Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, and Ino. Most of them hadn't noticed she was even there except for Hyuuga Neji Who was staring strait at her and had a smirk on his face.

Growing slightly uncomfortable under the smug Hyuuga's gaze Sakura was grateful when she saw a hand raise and lazy voice call out, "Hey Blossom, chill. You're late by a few minuets, not that big a deal. Not like Tsunade's gonna kill her own apprentice when she was late one time." Sakura turned a grateful smile on the lazy genius and was about to return the greeting when a high feminine voice broke through and Sakura was tackled to the ground by two blonde bodies,

"Sakura-Chan! I haven't seen you in forever! Where have you been!?" Naruto cried as he picked up Sakura and swung her around with Ino still clinging to Sakura's shoulders,

"Naruto! Put me down! Ino! Let me go!" Sakura took a breath as she was released and turned to the blonde male. Putting her hands on her hips she sent him a scowl,

"You saw me yesterday dobe! I hardly think that's forever." Sakura's attention was taken by Ino when the other girl slung an arm around her neck and rubbed a fist into her hair.

"Hey billboard brow! I'm surprised you're late. I thought you used you forehead as a sundial so that you wouldn't be late ever!" Ino made a surprised squeal as Sakura slipped free a pinned her to the ground.

"Hey Ino-pig! Thought you would have learned by now not to do that to me!" Inner Sakura decided to pipe up at this point,

'_**Baka Ino-pig! Hells yeah we rock! Learn your lesson now?! Huzzah! Embarrass me in front of my friends I don't think so!'**_Inner Sakura punched a fist into the air and fire exploded in the background,

'_**Don't mess with the Cherry Blossom! Yeah!' **_

Sakura grinned cheekily at Ino and got up and offered Ino a hand to pull up with. Pulling Ino up, the door to Tsunades office opened and the legendary sennin stuck out her head,

"All Chuunin, Jounin, and Naruto in my office now." The older woman's head disappeared and all the shinobi stood and walked into the office with Hinata and Sakura dragging a pissed off pouting Naruto behind them.

Once inside the office Shizune shut the door and the female hokage took a seat behind her desk pulling out 2 files and rubbed her temples before looking at the shinobi in front of her. Sighing, Tsunade opened the files and began

"This is a two part, Rank A mission. We have been hired by the Country of Shadow to find two stolen ancient sacred relics. One object is a large scroll with many secret jutsus and forbidden techniques. The other is a small chest holding the objects required to activate and use the jutsus on the scroll. Most important right now is the chest. Without the chest the scroll is useless." Tsunade laid out the file for them to see as she took a breath,

"I was also informed that Orochimaru is after the jutsus on that scroll. I'm not certain if he knows it is missing or not. Either way all of you will be on your guard. The people who stole the chest and scroll split up after getting out of the Shadow Country. One went south towards the country of mist and the other went north toward the country of cloud." Tsunade closed the file and pulled it back stacking it on top of the other one she had,

"I'm splitting you into two teams. Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru will follow and retrieve the scroll heading north. Hinata, Neji, Ino, and Kiba you will go south after the chest. Shikamaru will lead team one and Neji will lead team two. We do not know who it is that stole the Relics but be extremely careful. You will meet at the gate and leave as soon as possible. Any questions?"


	2. Ch2:Time to head out! End in conflict

A/n: **Bundyang****el:** Hey everyone! Thanks to my 3 reviewers;

**al2010**

Flame Unicorn

egustogustason  
they rock my socks and were really supportive gives them cookies and plushies

Unfortunately al i think I'm gonna make this a sasusaku, don't hate me though.

If anyone spots misspellings by me please let me know so i can either fix it or remember for future chapters. I love Naruto and everything but some spellings can be difficult.

Also what's the name for the village headband? Hitai ate or something, first person to tell me will get something special in my next chapter

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**Me:** today for the disclaimer i have brought in Inner Sakura! Please do me the honors!

**Inner Sakura:** No.

**Me:** What the hell? Why not?

**Inner Sakura:** Because I aint got a reason too.

**Me:** Well Sasuke helped me with it last chapter and seeing as you're the most awesome character it would bring my readers and I joy to no end.

**Inner Sakura:** What the hell? Could you be any more of a kiss-up? But seeing as i am the most awesome ill do it! HELLZ YEAH! CHAH!

**Me:** HELLZ YEAH! Do it Inner Sakura!

Proceeds to hit fists with Inner Sakura and do a chest bump

**Inner Sakura:** Bundyangel obviously and pathetically doesn't own me or anything to do with Naruto except for this plot. Otherwise shed be hella rich and would buy me a convertible and hook up Sasuke and Tenten

**Me:** What the hell?! I would not do any of those things!!!... tears You gotta rub the salt extra hard into the wound don't you Inner Sakura?

**Inner Sakura:** Damn right I do! Now shut up and write the damn story!

**Me:** You do realize I have Gai and Lee in a inescapable box at my disposal, don't you?

**Inner Sakura:** FUCK! You evil bitc-..!

**Me:** So i've been told.

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"baaaka"- regular speech

_'baaaka'_-thoughts

_**'Baaaka!'**_- Inner self's

The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III

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Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 2: Time to head out! Apologies and a confrontation

By Bundyangel

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Sakura opened her mouth to ask Tsunade a question when she was interrupted by a smug blond friend of hers,

"So it doesn't matter if forehead fails _again_ or not as long we don't screw up?" Ino asked.

Inner Sakura decided to speak up screaming loudly inside Sakura's head as her eyes widened in shock and hurt,

_**'INO-PIG!!! Die!!!'**_ Inner Sakura began to destroy a badly made puppet of Ino while Tsunade answered Ino, Sakura so shocked she was unable to find any words to hurl at her so-called friend.

"No, I'm afraid it matters very much." Tsunade steepling her hands under her chin, "If we don't bring back both we fail and risk war. I have promised the Shadow Country that nothing shall befall the artifacts, no matter if one is useless without the other. That will come to all your advantages I suppose. Without both the jutsus scroll and artifact together in possession of one person it won't work. Even if you read the scroll a million times you cannot do it without the scroll. Same the other way if you have the scroll but not the artifact you can activate the jutsu. Therefore the enemy doesn't have a extremely powerful jutsu to kill you all with." Tsunade rose to her feet and the shinobi around her followed suit,

"Now go and get your things together. All of you run out of the gates in fifteen minutes or im sticking you all back in the academy again."

The shinobi all widened there eyes except for the smug Hyuuga who let no emotion show other then contempt and smugness, the bored Nara, who was coincidentally fascinated with the sight of the academy through the open window, and Sakura's whose were still wide from the backhanded insult. With a few nods they disappeared with four puffs of smoke, a small shower of rose petals, cherry blossoms, and lavender petals. With a sigh Tsunade sat back down in her chair massaging her eyes with one hand as she blindly reached for her sake bottle,

"So glad I taught Sakura and her friends how to teleport with petals and flowers." Tsunade called out for Shizune to find someone to clean up the fallen petals before taking a swig strait from the bottle.

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Sakura left her house after about 8 minutes packing the necessary extra set of clothes, weapons, food, and medical equipment needed. Locking her door walked the short distance from her house to the Gates of her village. Arriving with 3 minuets to spare she noted that both Hyuuga's and Shikamaru were already there. Glad she wasn't the last one to arrive she walked and started a small conversation with Hinata asking about how she and Naruto were among other things.

Before long Kiba and Ino (Accompanied by a short sharp glare from a pink haired kunoichi) arrived leaving Naruto and Tsunade not to have arrived yet. Just as Tsunade came into clear vision on the road almost to them a puff of gray smoke appeared next to Sakura, between her and Hinata. A loud obnoxious blonde began screaming out apologies and begging not to be sent back to the academy before a already angry Sakura hit him hard on the head,

"Shut up Naruto! For once you're not late. You're making an idiot out of yourself though." Sakura growled at him slightly irritated.

"Aww Sakura-chan! Did you have to hit me so hard?" Naruto whined clutching his head as Hinata smiled shyly at his side.

"Yes I did. It might help you learn to think before you activate the stupid in your brain." Sakura replied and all conversation was stopped when Tsunade stopped in front of them. Handing the two team leaders the scrolls assigning the mission all she said was 'Good luck.' before the two teams leapt out of the gate three heading north and four heading south.

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Sakura leapt from one branch to another ignoring the slightly hurt pouty looks Naruto shot at her every five minutes or so for the past 2 and a half hours. Apparently if you hit the idiot in an ally or less populated street it was okay after about 5 minuets, but if you hit him in front of their peers and his girlfriend you got pouted at for close to three hours.

Go figure.

Sakura sighed aloud and picked up her pace catching up to Shikamaru after she realized she was falling slightly behind. Another 2 hours or so Shikamaru motioned for them to slow down they all landed on a large branch. Leaning against the trunk of the tree Shikamaru said,

"We'll rest here for half an hour regain some energy and eat some lunch." Sakura nodded and swung her pack off her back opening it and pulling out some foodstuffs. Handing out little Baggies of cut up fruit and another of celery and baby carrots. Sakura remained silent as she sat down and ate a slice of apple. Sakura was about to eat another when a lazy voice called out,

"She didn't mean anything rude or hurtful this morning." Sakura looked up suddenly slightly confused. Shikamaru must have seen the question in her eyes because he continued, "Ino, this morning. What she said about your part of the mission. Ino doesn't mean to be rude and say cruel or hurtful things but just like Naruto has stupid in his brain along with his courage,"

Shikamaru stopped and glanced at Naruto as he jumped to his feet and half shouted out things slightly confused whether or not he was being insulted. Sighing and muttering a 'how troublesome' Shikamaru continued,

"Along with his courage, Ino has Obnoxious along with her kindness. She just says whatever pops into her head. Anyway she wanted me to make sure you knew she didn't mean anything this morning. She said she wasn't going to ask before we left because she didn't want to risk dieing from super Sakura."

Sakura smiled at Shikamaru before answering,

"I'm a little hurt is all. I know she didn't say it deliberately to be malicious, but things like that hurt anyway." Shikamaru and Naruto both nodded before continuing their meal. Finishing soon afterward Sakura packed away the remaining food and they set off again.

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Sakura crept through the branches of some tall bushes carefully making no sound as she came behind a wounded cloud shinobi in possession of a large ancient chest most likely filled with scrolls if you noticed the fact the symbol of shadow country was carved all over the thing. Sakura snapped back to attention, dodging quickly as the shinobi whipped around and shot a jutsu attack that looked like blue lightning at her.

Running forward Sakura ran at the shinobi her arm raised as she concentrated chakra to her fist. He laughed at her, perceiving her as weak or stupid running at him with no weapon of any kind, _'mistake number one idiot'_, Sakura though to herself as she swung her fist at him. As it neared the cloud shinobi he jumped backwards several meters away, _'mistake number two'_, Sakura grinned as she slammed her fist to the ground causing it to shake and a large crack to extend out caving in the ground 20 meters in front of her. Sakura saw Naruto run out from his hiding spot and grab the box of scrolls, Shikamaru jumped out as well to help him lift the heavy chest and move it out of harms way.

The man swore as he fell into the crevice her punch made. Seeing no reasons to prolong the fight Sakura pulled out a senbon needle and flung it at him hitting with precision the spot on his neck that would end his life immediately without pain.

"Wow Sakura-chan! That was fast!" Naruto cried out wrapping her in a tight hug. Sakura smiled before returning the hug and responding.

"I saw no reason to drag out the fight when I had a perfect opportunity to kill him. If I didn't he would have tried to kill me or either of you." Sakura smiled, " Lets head back. With this thing well be lucky if we get back by afternoon tomorrow." Sakura broke out of Naruto's hug and walked over to the chest a small frown marring her smooth features. Her mind slightly confused as she ran her fingers over the engravings on it,

_'How could he have died that easily? Am I just that strong now? Or was I lucky because he was already injured? You would think a shinobi would last more then one minuet in a batt-.'_

Sakura's silently musings were cut off a low snakelike voice hissed out,

"Well well, Sasuke-kun. It appears your friends took care of your job for you!" Sakura, Naruto, and Shikamaru spun around to see three figures standing just past the edge of the clearing. The one with the snake-like hiss to his voice stepped forward into the sunlight a evil glint in his yellow eyes. A gray haired man with glasses on, and then a young man with hair and eyes equally dark shades of onyx soon followed him.

Sakura's eyes opened wide and her mouth parted in shock as she whispered out,

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Now... Sakura is it? Now don't forget about Kabuto and myself. That would be distasteful if you ignored our gratitude." He chuckled as her eyes snapped to his and narrowed to a glare. He continued, "I offer you my thanks Sakura-chan. Killing that shinobi in less then two minuets is quite a feat, isn't it Sasuke-kun? You never mentioned that you had such a powerful and pretty kunoichi as a friend."

Sasuke's eyes turned blood red as he glared at the snake sennin who addressed him in such a revolting manner. Orochimaru smiled at him before switching his gaze to the group of leaf ninja,

"Sasuke-kun's not very talkative today. You'll have to excuse him. Now if you all will be good little shinobi and hand over the chest I will let you keep your lives... for now." The snake sennin this time widened his eyes in surprise as both Sakura and Naruto stepped out shouting at the same time,

"FUCK THAT!" Naruto continued by himself, "No way in hell we'd let you have this chest snake-bastard!"

Orochimaru smiled and hissed,

"Well that's just too bad now isn't it?" He chuckled and launched at the three ninja Kabuto and Sasuke along side him.

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A/n: Yes yes I know sucky place to end at but what cha gonna do? Ill update soon, please review. I list all reviewers

Bundyangel


	3. Ch3: The fight and the mission failure!

**Bundyangel: **Hey everyone! Sorry it's taken me a long time to update, things have been going on at school and well I'm just lazy. Plus I got 3 reviews for my last chapter and here they are!

…

**Jennjennr**

& **Sequha**

Note though, I don't mind anonymous reviews but a name would be nice. Now on to the disclaimer!!! I have brought in English Naruto! YAY

Disclaimer:

**Me:** Yay Naruto! Please do the disclaimer.

**Naruto:** Believe it! I'm Naruto Uzumaki and I being the next Hokage and greatest ninja in all of Konoha, am the only one worthy of doing this review! Believe it!

**Me:** umm right so… please do it.

**Naruto:** Believe it! Maybe if I do this you'll hook me up with Sakura! Believe it! She'll admire me for this! Believe it! Now on to the disclaimer believe I-…!

--Err... Naruto had died due to a shuriken through his neck. Older Japanese version, Uzumaki Naruto walks in closing his weapon pouch--

**Uzumaki Naruto:** It's not 'believe it' teme! Its dattebayo biotch!

**Me:** Yay! Older Naruto! Since you have… err… incapacitated English Naruto will you please do my disclaimer?

**Uzumaki Naruto:** With pleasure Bundyangel-san! Dattebayo! Bundyangel doesn't own the series Naruto, me, or any of the characters in the Naruto series! Dattebayo!

--Both look at twitching character on the floor in a small pool of blood. Both look up at each other--

**Me:** You think we can get someone to take care of this without calling the police?

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"Baaaka"- regular speech

'_Baaaka'_-thoughts

'_**Baaaka!'**_- Inner self's

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The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III

Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 3: The fight and the failing of a mission

By Bundyangel

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Sakura's eyes widened and she took a half step back unconsciously a she stared into the poisoness yellow eyes of the legendary snake sannin.

Suddenly it was as if everything was in slow motion for the pink haired kunoichi, the sound faded leaving Sakura only to hear the erratic beating of her heart. Sakura looked to the left seeing Naruto form a seal and silently yell out, 'Kage bushin no jutsu!' As Sasuke leapt at him, a sword drawn and his Sharigan activated. The three commas whirling ominously. Swinging to her right Sakura saw Shikamaru with a kunai; blocking a senbon needle that Kabuto was trying to stab him with. A malicious smile stretched across his face. Blinking slowly and looking to the front of her, Sakura's breath hitched as Orochimaru's snake tongue stretching out at her, its mouth wide open with venom dripping from its sharp fangs.

Almost instantly everything snapped into focus,

'_**ITS ON NOW BIOTCH! HELLZ YEAH! SHANNARO!'**_ Inner Sakura screamed inside of her mind.

Reaching out a hand as she dodged the deadly bite, Sakura grabbed the snake behind its head in a tight grip. Taking another tight grip on the snake in her other hand farther down its body she jerked Orochimaru forward. As he flew toward her she concentrated chakra into her leg lifting it she swung it as his chest. Sakura's eyes widened as her leg missed him and he soared toward her, punching her hard in the stomach. Sakura fell to one knee as all of her breath left her. Sucking in a harsh breath Sakura raised her fist and tried to punch him again but hit the ground when he dodged creating another crater.

Orochimaru appeared behind her and kicked her in her back sending her flying forward a few feet. Landing on her back Sakura arched in pain and coughed up a small bit of blood. Sitting up and pulling out three senbon needles she hurled them at him as she got to her feet. He waved his hand dismissively and the needles fell to the ground a few feet in front of him. Running at her with lightening speed she dodged as he aimed a kick at her head and then a punch at her torso. Jumping back she did some seals,

"Shōsen Jutsu!"(Mystical Palm Technique, makes a blade of chakra around the hand all medical nins can use it.).

Running forward with her arm infront of her Sakura thrust her arm out as she tried to stab Orochimaru in his abdomen, to destroy a kidney or peirce a lung. He simply knocked it to one side with his hand and picked her up by the throat. Holding her several inches above the ground. Sakura started to feel light head and she grasped his forearm with one hand and tried to pull at his fingers with the other. He gripped her tighter and shook her sharply. She gasped for breath and started to see spots in front of her eyes. Leaning close to her, Orochimaru whispered into her ear, his cold breath racing down her spine,

"Look and listen closely little kunoichi, for it shall be the last thing your brain shall process. You cannot beat me, dear Sakura, not now. The Kyuubi cannot beat me. Tsunade cannot beat me! You although. I see potential in you. You could be strong. You could be powerful, but you are weak."

Sakura shifted her eyes to the side. She saw Naruto and Sasuke charging at each other with kunais. After they both threw them at each other they simutaniously started Chidori and Rasengan. As they charged at each other tears started to pool under her eyes. It broke her to see her teammates like that. Blinking to hold back the tears she looked to her other side. she saw Shikamaru wrap chakra strings around Kabuto after he hit a tree and send his shadow hand along it, inching for Kabutos throat. Sakura closed her eyes as she heard Naruto and Sasuke scream at each other. The tears leeked through the rims and traveled down her face. Her attention back on Orochimaru as he talked again,

"Do you know why you are weak? Because you lack the urge to kill. You can kill, but you lack the urge. You lack the will to dominate, to control, to show others that are inferior, _that_ they _are _inferior. I could have helped you with that. Now that chance has come and gone. Good-bye Sakura-chan." Clenching his hand once more he threw her hard into a tree breaking it and the one behind it before she landed into a third one making a large dent in it but no break.

Sakura coughed up more blood and watched with wavering vision as Orochimaru walked to the chest they had not long ago saved. He reached into his robe and pulled something out. A strange looking key. It had 3 points and several engraivings on it coming off the key in a repeating pattern. Sakuras eyes widened as he started to incert the key into the chest's lock. With a cry of denial Sakura pushed herself out of the tree focusing her chakra to her legs and her fist as she launched herself at him.

Sakura cried out as something peirced her shoulder pulling her back and pinning her to a tree. Looking up she saw Orochimaru with a slight smirk and his hand outstretched at her. Looking at her shoulder she saw a long kunai deeply embeded and her blood running down her chest and arm. Coughing up blood again she reached out shakily to the kunai in her shoulder when it glowed purple and wedged deeper into her shoulder Sakura screamed out in pain. Biting onto her lip to hold back the whimper that yearned to escape. Sakura heard Naruto scream her name in agony. Sakuras hand dropped down and her body went limp. She was still concious and looked up at a click.

Orochimaru opened the chest and reached into it pulling out a long brittle-looking scroll tied closed with a faded black ribbon and a small seal. Holding it in his hand he looked to Sakura and smirked.

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**(Naruto's Point of view)**

Kyuubi was getting restless. He wanted me to let him out or at least use his chakra. I didn't want to. I didn't want to beat Sasuke-teme with Kyuubi I wanted to beat the bastard myself. To finally prove that I was better! I had become centered on inflicting damage on Sasuke. I didn't notice or react at Sakura's gasps of pain and coughs full of blood. I stopped for a second when that sick bastard grabbed her neck and lifted her from the ground but Sasuke distracted me by coming at me with a kunai. I was pissed now. Holding out my hand as I threw my kunai at him I made Rasengan. He started Chidori and we charged at each other.

As they hit and recoiled after a minuet of pulsing at each other I heard a muffled scream and large snaps then the ground shook. Whipping around I saw two large trees down and one bent and a candy-pink-haired head amongst the settling dust and debris. I started to run to her but recoiled when a katana was stabbed in the air where my body had been not a second ago. Sasuke held his katana in front of him in a tight grip, hate shinning in his dark crimson eyes,

"You are my fight dobe! Don't be distracted by a pathetic girl. I want you to realize when I kill you that you gave it your full power, and it still wasn't enough!" Sasuke growled at him

"Pathetic? PATHETIC?! Sakura-chan is not pathetic! She has become strong and powerful! I would never loose to you Sasuke-teme! Even without the Kyuubi you can barely keep up with me! If that snake-bastard is so strong and my Village is so weak how come you cant even hit me?! I'll kill you Sasuke! I'll kill you for Sakura-chan! So she knows how utterly pathetic you are!" I made more shadow clones and rushed at him.

I hadn't learned a whole lot of taijutsu from my friends but I had seen enough of Sakura-chan blowing craters in the ground and shattering rocks to realize how to throw a good punch. I focused some chakra into my fist and smashed it into Sasuke-temes face. Sending him back several meters. I then heard something that shattered my heart and stopped me cold when I was about to rush after the bastard, Sakura's blood-curdling scream of pain. Looking over I saw her pinned to a tree several inches above the ground and a kunai deep in her shoulder and her precious blood running down her arm to drip to the earth like her tears.

I was frozen with fear; it was like the first real mission all over again. Sakura was in trouble and I couldn't do anything. I saw her reach up to pull the kunai out when it glowed purple and twisted in deeper. She screamed like death was ripping out her soul with icy fingers,

"SAKURA-CHAN!!!" I screamed in agony as loud as I could. It was dead quiet in the forest and then there was a resounding click.

Swinging my eyes away from Sakura's limp form I saw the snake-bastard pull out a scroll from the open chest, then look at Sakura I raised my fist at the snake-bastard and was about to scream out when a presence was suddenly behind me and hit me on the back of the neck. My eyes widened before I sunk to the ground darkness claiming me. My last thought was of surprise when a heavy body landed on top of mine.

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**(Normal point of view)**

Sakura glared through pain-glazed eyes at Orochimaru. Sakura had looked around herself in despair. Shikamaru had incapacitated Kabuto, but was exhausted himself. I had seen Sasuke appear behind Naruto and knock him unconscious before passing out himself. Shikamaru breathed heavily and gave an apologetic look to me but he couldn't do anything. He had used most of his chakra just trying to make sure Kabuto wasn't a part of the equation. Orochimaru gave a small chuckle as he looked around him,

"Well It seems I underestimated your and overestimated my subordinates abilities. Maybe I shouldn't have pushed Sasuke-kun and Kabuto so hard before we got here." Orochimaru gave a sad smirk before locking eyes with her, "No matter though Sakura-chan. I think I was wrong earlier. I think the chance for you to be of use to me is still going on. I think the chance of me helping you reach your full potential is still possible."

He walked toward her stopping about 6 meters away. He ran a finger down the edge of the scroll the seal disappeared in a small puff of smoke and the ribbon disintegrated. He unrolled it and scanned it closely. "Now Sakura-chan let see if this works right."

Holding the scroll with one hand, he reached into his robe with the other and pulled something out. It was a small dagger like object about 6 inches long. Aside from the hilt and about half an inch on the tip it was covered with engravings of runes, ancient letters, and symbols. The engravings were etched into the middle that was a quarter of an inch larger then the rest of it.

Holding the tip of it to his tongue he held it so a few drops ran down the half inch of smooth metal at the end of the dagger like object. Holding it a few seconds his blood ran into the metal staining the engravings with his blood so they stood out in contrast to the smooth silver of the dagger. His hand then glowed purple and it slowly traveled into the dagger focusing around it. As he continued to focus on it he looked up at her,

"I know what Tsunade told you. About the artifacts not working without the scrolls and vice-versa, but I know something that she doesn't. I know what these artifacts can do. Just because you need both to use it doesn't mean I can't use it on another." Sakura's eyes widened in slight fear and he just chuckled sadistically.

The chakra then turned a lavenderish-pink. Motioning with his head the kunai then held her pinned ripped itself from her shoulder and fell to the ground. Sakura cried out in pain as she slid down the tree leaving a streak of blood in her path. Rolling up the scroll with his tongue he made a one-handed seal and then pulled Sakura up by her neck. Holding her closer to his body he smirked as he swallowed the scroll. Running his tongue around his lips he grinned at her, and then with a chuckle stuck the tip of the dagger in her shoulder, the exact spot where the curse seal had appeared on Sasuke all those years ago.

Sakura screamed out in pain as the chakra disappeared into her body, the pain turning her blood to ice as it danced through it. Orochimaru let go of her neck and Sakura was surprised around the pain that she didn't crumble to the ground formed more seals and said,

"Secret Shadow Ancient artifact and sacred scroll style: Divining curse of Heaven and Hell jutsu!" With that said he grabbed the dagger and ripped it out, Jumping back several feet picking up the now conscious but non-moving Sasuke and appearing next to Kabuto.

Sakura's eyes opened wide and her pupils grew large and then incredibly small. Sakura bowed her head as her whole body began to shake. Around the bloody area where the dagger had plunged into her skin a small black circle appeared with 5 smaller circles around the first one.

The air grew cold, the sound disappeared, and it was as if time had stopped. Then the tension snapped.

Dark pink chakra started to gather around Sakura like she was incased in flames the tips turning black. Sakura's body arched out, her chakra expanding in a harsh wave pushing everyone back several feet. Sakura screamed so loud that even Orochimaru winced back. Shikamaru pressed his hands to his ears, and Sasuke gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at her.

Naruto's eyes snapped open, when he slammed into a tree, his eyes completely red but the red bled away to the bright blue he was known for. Raising himself weakly to his feet his mouth dropped open and his eyes grew wide when he saw Sakura,

"Sakura-chan… What did that bastard do to you?!" he cried out. Naruto turned his head when he heard a dark chuckle,

"I made her powerful. I made her… the most powerful kunoichi… ever." The sannin then tipped his head back and laughed.


	4. Ch4:Calling her back Pt 1

**Bundyangel: **Hiya all! things have been actually going well and I was thinking of waiting till I got more reviews before posting the next chapter but what the hell? Still no one has told me what the headbands proper name is and i can find it anywhere. (I noticed something I've only posted 3 chapters and i have over 6000 words, pretty awesome right? I know I'm a cool long typer like that.)

Any who, here are the reviewers i got from chapter 3:

**Highflyincherries**

&

**sequha**

Thanks you two for your positive feedback and demands to update XD now on to our disclaimer!

-----------------------------

Disclaimer:

**Me: **today we shall have uhh...-pokes head back behind writing curtain and screams, '_Someone get out here! I don't want to let Lee and Gai out of the box to do it!' _mumbles are heard and then Shikamaru steps out-

**Me:** Yay! The lazy genius Shikamaru! Get it on Shikamaru!

**Shikamaru:** -sigh- How troublesome, but its better then Gai or Lee doing it.

**Me: **Amen, that's why I put them in the box, they would insist on doing it.

**Shikamaru: **We appreciate that, really we do. -Sigh- Bundyangel does not own Naruto or any of the characters. She does however own this plot she's made up and some of the jutsus she makes off the top of her head.

**Me: **Damnit Shikamaru! They didn't need to know that much!

**Shikamaru: **Whatever. You now have your disclaimer. Later.

**Me: **-waves away- Yeah, yeah, remind the others I have the box and know how to use it.

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"Baaaka"- regular speech

'_Baaaka'_-thoughts

'_**Baaaka!'**_- Inner self's

--------------------------

The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III

Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 4: Calling her back Pt. 1

By Bundyangel

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(Neji's P.O.V.)

_'Fuck!'_

I pushed off the branch I was leaping off of with more force then necessary. I ignored the Blood that ran down my arm and focused more chakra to move faster. That bastard! We had reached the stupid trunk to find the shinobi who took it dead and the snake-bastard with the traitor-bastard and the medic-bastard_. (Ba/N: yeah in his mind Neji swears a whole lot... cause I think that he does. You aren't that hot without swearing in your mind a lot.)_. He had giggled at us like a damn girl and then attacked before disappearing.

Ino and Kiba got hit pretty badly and Hinata had stayed behind to try and tend to them. She sent a missive to Tsunade to alert her of the danger that we were in and I had headed north after them, hoping I'd reach team two in time to be some kind of help.

I knew I was pushing myself rather hard, but I needed to be of some use. I knew next to nothing of medical jutsu, and since Hinata sent the missive all I would be able to do was stand there like a idiot. I had rather rudely refused Hinata to tend to my arm but I really didn't care at the time. This was serious! A scratch could wait till my friends were out of danger.

I was making incredible time. Well I wasn't the number one student of my age for nothing. I was sure I was close to them. There were tell-tale signs of travel through the trees and grassy areas. My eyes narrowed when the area started to darken a bit and everything grew quiet. This wasn't good.

My eyes widened in surprise as a heavy wave of air shot me back. I would have fallen if I hadn't grabbed the branch and pulled myself up. My blood suddenly froze. Piercing the air of the forest was the most painful heart-shattering scream imaginable.

Lunging ahead, I forced my body through the air and energy that seems to press against me and force me down in attempt to keep me back. Foolish. I just tried harder. Nothing could stop a Hyuuga when he put his mind on something. Especially me, and my mind was on my friends. I had been told countless times over the years that I had re-written the definition of stubborn. I smirked. Couldn't disappoint them now could I?

I gaped once I reached the clearing. One of my eyes narrowed in pain at the screams that never seemed to stop. In the middle of clearing was Sakura; at least I assumed that was Sakura. I looked closer with my Byakugan. Red outfit. Candy pink hair. Wide green pain-filled eyes.

Yes that was Sakura.

What amazed me more then the fact she was screaming like a banshee was that she was floating about two feet off the ground and covered in pink to black flame like chakra.

Looking around I saw the Snake-bastard standing and laughing like an idiot, a passed out medic-bastard... -no wait he was starting to come round,

_'Jesus who could stay unconscious through this noise?' _I asked myself mentally. Snapping back to attention I took in the rest of the scene.

Naruto was awake though a little scuffed up with a shocked expression on his face. Traitor-bastard was awake though he was much worse for wear then Naruto, and Shikamaru not 5 feet away from me, exhausted, with his hands over his ears and a scared and irritated look on his face.

Looking back up at Sakura I was slightly relieved when she stopped screaming, but i was more anxious when the chakra seem to grow larger and darker a smidge. The grass 3 feet around her was gone and the rocks and dirt were slowly being stripped away and disintegrating. Hardening my gaze I decided now was the time to get information. Disappearing in a blur I appeared next to Naruto and picked him up by his arm before I took us over to Shikamaru in a flash. Ignoring Naruto's splutters I crossed my arms and looked at them both. In a calm yet extremely dark voice I spoke,

"What the hell did you two let happen?" Naruto jumped up and pointed a finger at the Orochimaru,

"Its the Snake-bastards fault! He did some weird thing to Sakura-chan!" Shikamaru sighed and interrupted him,

"Naruto, perhaps Neji wants to know from someone who wasn't passed out at the time and saw everything?" Naruto scratched the back of his head,

"Ohh, yeah maybe... but-!"

"Enough!" I yelled out to stop the damned rambling,. I turned to Shikamaru, "Tell me what happened now. The shorter version is you would." Shikamaru nodded.

"We caught the ninja who had the chest of scrolls, Sakura killed him. Orochimaru, Sasuke, and Kabuto showed up and attacked us. I fought Kabuto and managed to restrain and knock him out. Orochimaru fought Sakura and was doing a little poorly until he knocked her through 2 trees and pinned her to another with a kunai through her shoulder when she tried to attack him again. He opened the chest and pulled out a scroll then started saying crap about her being useful or some crap. I can't do anything because I used almost all of my chakra to take out Kabuto. Naruto was winning against Sasuke until he got distracted by Sakura getting thrown through the trees. He turned his back on Sasuke and Sasuke knocked him out before passing out on Naruto himself.

Orochimaru pulled out this dagger thing and bled on it some before focusing his chakra around it. When the chakra turned a different color he pulled out the kunai pinning Sakura to the tree and held her by the neck. He swallowed the scroll and then stuck the tip of the dagger thing in her shoulder. He let go of her and she stayed standing. He did some seal and called out, 'Secret Shadow Artifact and sacred scroll style: Divining heaven and hell jutsu,' he then ripped out the dagger and backed away

. He picked up Sasuke and appeared next to Kabuto. Everything grew cold and silent before that chakra exploded from her body and she started screaming. That's when you came in and here we are. How troublesome. What happened with your team?" Shikamaru raised a brow at me. I sighed and reluctantly answered,

"We found the shinobi with the artifacts but Orochimaru beat us to him and killed him. He took the artifacts and attacked us. Ino and Kiba got hurt and so Hinata stayed behind to tend to them. Thanks to our defense jutsus Hinata and I got out barely scratched. She also sent a missive to Tsunade. I came here to help." I turned and focused on Sakura once more. She had curled into a ball and was shivering violently. The chakra growing bigger every minute. Currently the chakra was about 6 feet around her in all directions.

Too bad I was too late.

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(Sakura's P.O.V.)

_'It's so cold. First it was so warm... but now it's so cold._

_It hurts so much._

_What is happening to me? What's going on? I see everyone but i can't speak. I open my mouth and all I can do is scream, or whimper._

_Is that Neji? Why is he here? Shouldn't he be with Hinata and the others? What are they talking about?_

_I can't hear what they are saying. Are they talking about me?_

_I'm in so much pain..._

_Why aren't they doing something? Why can't they make the pain Orochimaru caused go away? I don't want it. I don't want his power. I don't want to be great his way._

_Everyone is so far away..._

_Are they ignoring me? No... Neji is looking at me with concern. He's trying to think of something..._

_I can tell._

_No matter how much he hates me, he wouldn't leave me like this. Naruto wouldn't either. No I can always count on Neji and Naruto._

_Always them. I used to trust Sasuke-kun the same way..._

_Sasuke-kun? Why did you let him hurt me?_

_You said you would protect me. Back then you said I didn't understand..._

_You said... You always said, but you never meant it either. I do understand, but unlike you to me, I tried to help you. _

_Wouldn't have mattered anyway. You still didn't pass and become a Chuunin... You suffered through all that and you're still not a Chuunin. Well neither did Naruto..._

_But I did. _

_Did you notice Sasuke-kun? I'm a Chuunin now. Tsunade-sama says im well on my way to being a jounin too._

_Did you know that Sasuke-kun? I might become a Jounin like Kakashi-sensei, and you..._

_You'd still be a Genin. Its almost funny like that. Naruto is stronger then you and I'm a higher rank then him. Does that make me stronger then you too?_

_Because I'm as strong as Naruto._

_Why am I crying?_

_I'm not supposed to cry anymore. Not for you, anyone or myself. Especially not for you._

_Showing emotions make you weak. Showing weak emotions make you pathetic._

_I can become stronger. Orochimaru says so. He tried to make me this way..._

_Like you._

_But I don't want to be like you. I don't want to have this power and the need for it control my life. I don't want the thirst for more power to be the one thing I focus on._

_I don't want any of it._

_Because it hurts too much._

_Sasuke-kun... Why did you lie to me?_

_Sasuke-kun..._

_Why?_

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(Normal P.O.V.)

Sakura had turned her head so she looked at Sasuke. He could see the questions in her eyes and had no idea how to give her the answers. He felt a pain dig deep into his gut when the tears started to come after a while. Sakura turned her head back to the front and bowed it so it rested on her knees. Sasuke got to his feet and turned to Orochimaru, his Sharingan activated,

"Orochimaru. What exactly did you do to her?" He asked in a low voice. He was worried not only by the look in her eyes but also by the fact that the chakra was steadily growing stronger and larger. Orochimaru laughed again, but answered him,

"Dear Sasuke-kun. Has it really been that long? You cannot even realize the more powerful form of the curse I gave to you not three years ago?" The snake-sannin looked at Sakura, pleasure written all over his face as he chuckled again, "It is beautiful, is it not? Being as powerful as it is it will take more time to enter her body completely, thought of course... the chances of her surviving are much lower then with yours." Orochimaru looked over at Sasuke with a thoughtful look on his face, as Sasuke gazed back in disgust, "You had a one in ten chance of living. Sakura-chans... is about a one in twenty-five chance of survival. Hmm. Its worth the sight of her even if she does die, but... it would still be lovely if she did live."

Sasuke's eyes widened at him and he took a half step forward his fists clenched,

"Is there any chance of me helping her survive? Of making this easier some how?" Orochimaru lifted his eye brows at Sasuke and chuckled.

"Well well Sasuke-kun, it seems you have a... attachment to this little kunoichi. How interesting." Orochimaru brought a hand to his chin and looked at Sasuke deeply, "What would you do if I said yes? Well other then do whatever I said as soon as possible," Orochimaru rolled his eyes as to say 'duh', "Would you help convince her to join me? Would you try and make her stab all her friends and Konoha in the back? Would you try and change her? Make her as power-hungry as yourself?"

"No. I would never try to change Sakura and make her like myself. Who she is now is how she should be. It is what makes her special. I would however try and make her come back with me. I would try and convince her to join me. If she survived."

"Sasuke-kun, that is good to hear. However, you already know how to bring her back. Just as she somehow knew all the way back then." Orochimaru had a pleased smile stretched across his face that grew when Sasuke's eyes narrowed in realization of what he needed to do, but then Orochimaru dropped it once the winds started to pick up again and there were muffled whimpers coming from Sakura.

The Chakra started to rage harder and more erratically. Sakura clutched her legs tighter and tears streamed down her face faster. Sasuke took a step forward and tensed his muscles to start running when Orochimaru dropped a hand on his shoulder,

"Not yet Sasuke-kun. I will tell you when you need to go to her." Sasuke sent a glare of death at him and shrugged his hand of off his shoulder and took two steps away.

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Neji had been staring as Sakura racking his brain for some clue, some idea as to how he could save her. He narrowed his eyes when she turned her head to Sasuke, and he gritted his teeth when she began to cry. Ignoring Naruto's rambles and half baked ideas on how to save Sakura-chan, Neji focused on the Uchiha. He had come to a standing position and was talking to Orochimaru.

Neji's eyes snapped back to Sakura when the wind picked up and he heard her whimper. Seeing movement to the side of his eye he looked back at Sasuke to see him take a step forward. Neji started to take a step forward himself after the Uchiha tensed up to run at Sakura, but backed down when Orochimaru stopped him and mumbled something. Crossing his arms he thought harder. It was impossible; he simply didn't have enough information.

Both dark haired men's attention snapped up to Sakura when she cried out in pain and the chakra jumped out two feet instead of the slow inches it had been doing. Naruto screamed out Sakura's name and Sasuke tried to move forward again but Orochimaru stopped him. Neji stood their uncertain what to do but his attention on the small sound group. Obviously the Uchiha knew something along with the snake-sannin, and it involved either hurting or helping Sakura. Guessing at the way the Uchiha tried to jump forward every time Sakura made a sound, it must be to help her.

Neji took a few steps forward and raised a hand to shield his eyes when Sakura screamed out again and clutched her shoulder and neck, the winds kicking up nastily pushing back more dirt and debris and the ground shredded some more around her. Turning his head Neji yelled at Naruto to get Shikamaru back to a safe distance. Abiding by his harsh tone, Naruto nodded and swung one of Shikamaru's arms over his shoulder before disappearing to take him farther away.

Though her hands were covering it a dark glow was coming from under her hands and Neji's eyes widened in surprise as what looked like small petals made of flames started to dance across her arm and shoulder and up her neck toward her chin. The petals stopped after a short while and grew dark almost black with a slight pink tint to it.

Sakura took a struggling breathe and dropped her hands revealing the spot where the knife had sunk in, the clothing around it shredded and gone. the center dot had shrunk and the five dots around it had grew larger and distorted shape so it looked like a rounded raindrop with the thinner ends pointing to the outside.

Suddenly snatching her hand out she grabbed her headband, which no one had noticed had come off, the material fraying and worn in spots with the edges of the metal loosing its glint. Sakura pulled her arm back to her chest and clutched the headband it her as her other hand tracing the swirled pattern of the Konoha symbol engraved in it.

Neji's eyes softened a little in sadness and he shifted his gaze to the Uchiha. He too had taken a few steps forward and both of Orochimaru's hands were on his shoulders holding him while the Uchiha clenched his fists in an attempt to keep from ripping from the sannin's grip.

_**"NOOOOO!!!!!"**_ Sakura suddenly screamed out and the chakra burst out again. Neji and the others jumped back at the suddenly unleashment of power. The petals were dancing in fire again going all the way down her left arm and half way down her stomach. More were inching into her hairline on the left side of her face while the rest licked at her right shoulder and upper neck.

_**"I DON'T WANT IT!!!"**_ Sakura screamed out again and the chakra made another huge outleashment, forcing them to jump back again. A crater was starting to form underneath Sakura and the chakra was about 28 feet around her in all directions.

Neji noticed Orochimaru take his hand from Sasuke's left shoulder and push him forward with his right hand, and although he didn't hear it he saw Orochimaru mouth the words, _'Go now!'. _Sasuke disappeared and reappeared next to Neji. Sasuke looked into the silver Byakugan with his crimson Sharingan and said to Neji,

"You're going to have to work with me if you want to save her."

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**Bundyangel:** please review, I feel inspired after I read an encouraging review. Thanks


	5. Ch5: Calling her back Pt 2

**Bundyangel: **Hiya all! Things have been good lately so not only did I get inspired to write the rest of this story, but I also found a song that inspired a NEW story! Not sure what the title will be though, oh well.

_Still_ no one has told me what the headbands proper name is and I can't find it anywhere.

Any who, here is the **_ONLY_** reviewer I got

**sequha**

Thanks to sequha for being super awesome and reviewing every chapter I posted. That is much appreciated )

_**This Chapter is dedicated to sequha!!!! YAY**_

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Disclaimer;

**Me: **Well… uhh… I kind of don't have anyone to do it again… UGH-!

-Is glomped by Ino-

**Me:** Ino?! What the hell?!

**Ino:** I heard you say last chapter that you didn't have anyone to do the disclaimer! Then you said it again today! I was going to do it the last chapter cause it would kick it up a notch!

-Ino proceeds to run a hand through her ponytail and smile-

**Me:** umm... Well Okay then! Go ahead at it!

**Ino:** Gladly! Bundyangel does not own Naruto the plot of Naruto or any of the characters in the Naruto series! She does however own this little symbol she drew and a rubber band around her wrist!

**Me:** Oh em gee zee! Ino! You actually did the disclaimer without insulting or embarrassing me!

**Ino:** Of course I didn't, silly! I'm an okay person like that! Plus how could I insult you when you managed to get Lee and Gai in a box? That is true power that should not be trifled with!

**Me:** True that.

-Ino and Bundyangel nod together in understanding-

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"Baaaka"- regular speech

'_Baaaka'_-thoughts and italics

'**_Baaaka!'_**- Inner self's

The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III

Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 5: Calling her back Pt. 2

By Bundyangel

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(Normal P.O.V.)

Neji's eyes narrowed and his stance visibly shifted into a wary one. Sasuke rolled his Sharingan eyes and crossed his arms, the appearance of relaxation except for his shoulders tensed at a particularly pathetic whimper from Sakura. Neji shifted his eyes to Sakura and he tried once again to come up with a plan that would involve the help of the Uchiha. Sighing he too crossed his arms and glared at Sasuke,

"So what exactly do you need me for?" Neji glared darker when Sasuke smirked,

"Orochimaru says that he underestimated the amount of chakra she had, and so putting the seal on her at the level he did is making her chakra explode. If we can't force our way to her and calm her down she'll die. The seal will destroy her chakra and her life if she cant learn to get some kind of hold on it." Sasuke looked right into Neji's eyes, "That's why I need you. We will need chakra to force through hers and right now I don't have enough because of my fight from earlier. Despite what most think, I really don't want Sakura to die."

Neji looked away from Sasuke at Sakura and gave a barely visible nod. Sasuke turned to face Sakura and made a few hand signs. Making the last one he yelled out so Neji could hear him,

"You're going to need to focus your chakra like a blade or drill to pierce through her chakra. Whatever the hell happens don't fucking stop forcing your chakra. If you do it'll crush you. Don't count on her not wanting to hurt you. She has no control of it." Clenching his hands dark blue chakra surrounded Sasuke's hands. The chakra roared to life and shot up three feet like a chakra sword or spear. Smirking at Neji he ran forward at fast as he could without using chakra before using it to push his way into the pink and black flame like chakra.

Neji smirked back and made the seals Sasuke had. Unlike Sasuke's, forest green chakra surrounded Neji's hands and pulling them apart he held two shorter chakra swords in his hands and quickly caught up to the younger Uchiha.

Reaching the edge of the chakra and passing through it was like they were being burned alive and once inside the dome of chakra it was like walking through arctic waters. Everything was cold and stinging. They couldn't hear anything. They thought it was loud outside but it was an excruciating roaring inside of it. It only got worse when the Pink chakra touched their chakra and started to swirl dangerously.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

(Sakura's P.O.V.)

Everything has gone black… at least… that's what it looks like 

_My eyes are open but I can't see anything_

_Wait a minute…_

_What's that?_

_Is that Neji? It is!_

_Who's that with him? It can't be Naruto. Naruto had red chakra…_

_Or at least Kyuubi does,_

_But not Naruto._

_Is it… Sasuke? It couldn't be Sasuke…could it? He wouldn't come to try and help me…_

_Would he?_

_No._

_No he wouldn't._

_Sasuke hates me, just..._

_Just as I hate him._

_No wait, I don't hate Sasuke!_

_Do I?_

_Yes! I do! He left me! He left Konoha! _

_I hate you Sasuke-kun!_

_I hate you!_

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(Normal P.O.V.)

Neji and Sasuke continued to press through desperately trying to get to Sakura and help her somehow. A large crater had started to develop under and Sakura causing Sasuke and Neji to concentrate a little chakra under their feet to walk across the pink chakra instead of walking into the crater.

After about 20 minutes of pushing through they finally breached through into the inner sphere of chakra where it was quieter but the chakra was heavier. Neji and Sasuke were shocked by the sight that met their eyes.

Sakura was curled into the fetal position and most of her clothes were shredded. Her shoes and weapon pouches were gone and the clothe to her headband was gone. The metal clutched in her now bleeding hand started to chip and break off making small nicks and scratches on her hand. The entire left side of her body was covered in red-hot petal marks that danced and turned as they started to eat up the right side.

Sasuke and Neji glanced at each other. Just from that look they confirmed what they already knew. They needed to stop this or Sakura was a goner. Sasuke took a few steps to his right towards Neji and about a foot away started shouting, even though to Neji it sounded like whispering,

"We need to get her attention! She has to calm down and get some kind of human contact. Right now her mind is destroying her, the curse mark is only making it worse!" Neji nodded to show that he heard. He then shouted back,

"How do we get her attention? We can't get any closer then this on our own!" Sasuke stepped forward and turned so he was shoulder to shoulder with Neji.

Concentrating on his hands the dark blue chakra sword melted down and became a ball of chakra around his hands that he held together in the standard chakra seal. Neji nodded again in understanding and held his hands together as well so it was a ball of chakra like Sasuke except it was the deep green of his own chakra. The two-shinobi thrust their arms forward forcing the chakra out like a beam or blast.

The flaming pink chakra drew back and made a loud hissing sound. Thankfully it parted and began to retract. It continued to retract until it reacted and slashed back at them, shoving Sasuke and Neji back several feet.

Grunting in annoyance and somewhat surprise, Neji tried harder, focusing more. His gaze widened and his arms tensed in surprise as the chakra disappeared.

Okay it didn't really just 'disappear'. It rolled backward on itself like some twisted pink and black tie-dyed cloud. There was a low rumble and a slight vacuum sound as it disappeared into the pink-haired kunoichi and glowing slightly in its after math she slowly lowered to the ground.

Sasuke and Neji dropped their hands in shock. Glancing over at Sasuke, Neji could see that, whatever _that_ was, it was not part of the plan. Neji quickly streaked forward and hovered over the kunoichi,

'_I'm too late.'_

Sakura was different. The black petals completely covered her form. Her hair was longer going two inches or so past her shoulders and the ends curled slightly, the color a deeper and richer pink. She had long black nails and small black dots at the corner of her eyes. Her lips were a hot pink outlined in dark black. In the middle of her forehead was a fully bloomed black cherry blossom. But what stopped Neji the most we're her eyes they were completely black except for her irises were yellow. ((B-a/n: Think like Sasuke's eye after Naruto caught up with him after he betrayed Konoha))

"Sakura? Are you all right? Sakura? Sakura?! Saku- !" Neji had grasped Sakura's shoulders and shook her to get her attention before her eyes snapped up to meet his, a deadly intention reflected in their strange gaze,

"Don't interfere."

"Sakura? What the hell are you going on about? 'Don't interfere'. Don't interfere with what?" Neji demanded dropping his slight hold on her shoulders.

"I don't want to hurt you or have to force you Neji so I warn you. **Don't. Interfere.**"

"Sakura I still don't understand what you tal-." Neji never got to finish his sentence as Sakura disappeared.

Neji whipped around to see her standing front of Sasuke. Sasuke's onyx eves skimmed over her face taking in all of her features, but he missed the one thing he should has observed.

The plain, uninhibited furry in her black and golden gaze.

Sasuke smirked and reached out to touch her cheek. He never got the chance however as Sakura's pink-black lips twisted into a snarl and she raised her fist, still clutching her headband and smashed it into his face sending him soaring back a few feet before he flipped over and landed on all fours,

"What the hell Sakura?!" Sasuke snarled and his eyes bled to crimson.

"Bastard!" Sakura hissed at him as the chakra danced over her still extended fist, "That's for your pedophile of a sensei making me cry for the first time since you left!" Sakura disappeared and appeared next to him, grabbing his arm and flinging him into the small grove of trees left from her chakra,

"That's for knocking me unconscious and leaving me on a bench when we were twelve!" Sakura ran forward after him and continued to roar out her pain,

"A bench for gods sake! A _BENCH_! Do you know how fucking cold and hard that thing was?!" Sasuke looked up in time to dodge the kick aimed for his spine.

He pulled out a kunai and blocked the one she had slammed down at him. She shoved him back with her other hand and sunk the kunai deep into his upper arm causing him to swear loudly,

"That was for Naruto! God knows he probably wishes he could do it himself!" Sasuke pulled out the kunai and flung it to the side before he ran at her kicking her backwards so she hit a tree.

Before she could slide down the trunk or react he was there with a hand around her neck and his Sharingan spinning. She raised a chakra-covered hand to slam down and break his arm when he knocked it to the side and roughly pushed his lips onto hers.

Sakura froze and scarcely remembered to breathe as his soft lips probed and sucked at her own. Sakura almost gave a whimper of protest when he broke the contact and she once again stared into the endless polls of his onyx eyes. He smirked at her and slipped his hand up from her neck to cup the back of her head,

"I don't control what Orochimaru does, so its not my fault he made you cry. As for knocking you unconscious, you should be grateful. I could have killed you or left you on the even colder and harder ground. And the dobe?" Sasuke snorted, "The only thing I did was beat the crap out of him which what I did every other day when I was still in Konoha." Sasuke let go of Sakura and took a couple steps away.

Sakura growled and launched at Sasuke again throwing punches and kicks,

"Grateful? Grateful?! I should be grateful because you decided to not be a big an ass as per your usual?! Fuck you Uchiha! You should have killed me, because then I wouldn't be here to kill you now!" Sakura charged her fist with chakra and struck the ground, it cracked and fell inward while the pink chakra Sakura released danced around in the crevice like electricity.

Sasuke leaped high into the air and formed some seals. Putting his fingers to his lips he blew a large ball of fire at the spot where Sakura had crouched not moments ago. As the fire dissipated Sasuke landed on one knee and glanced around. Concentrating a minute he suddenly snapped his eyes to the side a reaching out a hand grabbed the wrist that burst from the ground reaching for his ankle and he swiftly ripped her from the ground holding her several inches off the ground by her arm,

"Sakura, don't try the parlor tricks that pervert Kakashi uses. It won't work on me. I'm the favorite remember? I know all of those, plus those you could never learn." Sasuke flung her off to the side and formed seals again.

He held his left arm out as the crackling started and then the sound of 1000 birds crying out at once. Sakura stood and smiled. Sasuke almost lost his hold on Chidori when Sakura made the same seals and formed a Chidori of her own,

"I'll look forward to the time when you'll show me one, but that unfortunately isn't now!" Sakura held her Chidori out to the side and ran at Sasuke, holding it low to the ground so it left a scorching mark.

Sasuke smirked and mirrored her movements. The wind ripped around them, pushing the hair from their faces and plastering their clothes to their skin. Simultaneously they brought their Chidori's to shoulder level and then jabbed out sharply so the twin balls of crackling chakra hit each other and recoiled with an explosion.

As the both landed upright Sakura growled in anger and reaching into her pouch threw out several shuriken's. Sasuke sighed and simply stepped to the side and waited till he heard the sound of them hitting tree bark before he disappeared from view. Sakura spun around trying to pinpoint him and growling once more, screamed out,

"Damn it Uchiha! Don't you hide from me! I hate you Uchiha! You're a coward who can't face the fact that I'm stronger then you now!" Sakura felt tears stream down her cheeks and she sunk to her knees. Sasuke narrowed his eyes but didn't move from his hiding spot,

"I hate you Sasuke, I hate you!" Sakura's voice cracked on the last word and she furiously wiped away the tears,

"I hate you for making these tears! I hate you for thinking you can waltz back into my life without a consequence! I hate you for abandoning us! I hate you because you don't care! I hate you for leaving me! I hate you so much Sasuke!" Sakura punched a fist into the ground as she gasped for air and hiccupped once,

"I hate myself even more for the fact that I still care! I hate that I still want you to come back! I hate that I need your respect!" Sakura's arms collapsed down to her elbows and her shoulder shook as she continued to cry with her face buried in her arms.

Sakura didn't stop crying when he appeared over her and she didn't look up when he softly said her name,

"Sakura." He paused, "You're worse then annoying now. You're rather pathetic." Sasuke crossed his arms before turning and walking away.

Sasuke calmed when he felt the curse mark on her start to retract and with it, the massive chakra. He was about fifteen meters away when he heard her scream of outrage. Looking over his shoulder Sasuke saw Sakura take maybe three steps before her eyes widened and her knees buckled. He took a step back to run and catch her when a tall Jounin body appeared next to her and quickly gathered her close.

Sasuke glared through his Sharingan as Neji looked up and glared with his Byakugan. Neji picked up Sakura and held her close as he spat out at Sasuke,

"If you come near her again Uchiha and I'll rip out that hunk of ice in your chest you call a heart and shove it down your throat." Sending one more piercing glare Neji looked down at Sakura relieved to see the last of the black petals retract and settle back into the curse mark they emerged from. Neji turned and running off heard the satisfied, smug 'Hn.' From the Uchiha before he felt the sound ninjas chakra signatures disappear.

After a few minutes of running Neji encountered Shikamaru and Naruto. He barely slowed down enough to motion for them to follow quickly before he sped off again, Naruto and one of his clones Carrying Shikamaru hot on his trail.

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**Bundyangel: Hey everyone! I feel like the lowest form of evil for taking so long to update. But then again…. I got one review so not like I had much encouragement. Anyway I have minimal if best experience in fighting so I would like to know how I did with the fight.**

**Love you all, I promise ill update soon! **

**Also I'm debating whether or not I should put a lemon in this story. Tell me what you think.**

…

… **Okay for those of you who don't know what a lemon is it's a sex scene, yeah I would change the rating but it's just something I'm playing around with. Maybe I should save it till part 2 of my trilogy.**

**Any who thanks for reading so far and id really appreciate if you reviewed, makes me feel loved. I love all comments even if you flame me. Flames let me know what I screwed up**


	6. Ch6:Finding the Truth in a World of Lies

**Bundyangel: **Hiya all! I'm SOOOOO sorry for not updating in more then a MONTH! I would understand if you all would either throw random things at me or shank me. I would understand. Seriously.

Anyway I kind of went brain dead on what to write for the next chapter added to the fact of school, social life and all the things I have going on this kind of took a back seat.

_Still_ **_STILL_** no one has told me what the headbands proper name is and seriously I can't find it anywhere.

Any who, here are the reviewers I got for chapter 5:

**sequha**

**&**

**jami16**

Oodles of love to you both for reviewing I appreciate it, truly I do!

-----------------------------

Disclaimer;

**Me: **Well… uhh… I kind of don't have anyone to do it **again**… Gah this really has got to stop!!!

-Looks around, then sighs, pulling out a box-

**Me:** I'm sorry everyone but it had to come to this…

**Everyone in the background: **OH DEAR GOD NOOO!!!

-All rush forward but it is too late as Bundyangel rips off the top of the box-

-Gai and Lee burst forth from the box complete with green spandex, twinkling smiles, declarations of youth, and random shojo backgrounds-

**Gai:** Ah Lee! Truly youth was on our side today as we have BOTH managed to escape the dark box of un-youthful torture!

**Lee:** Oh truly Gai-sensei! The fountain of youth burns proudly in us both!

**Gai:** That is true youth Lee!

-Both Gai and Lee tear up-

**Lee:** Gai-sensei!

**Gai:** Lee!

**Lee:** Gai-sensei!

**Gai:** Lee!

**Lee:** Gai-sensei!

**Gai:** Lee!

**Me: **Oh dear Lord what have I done? UGH! Lee! Gai!

-Gets attention of the two taijutsu users-

**Me:** err… right! You both being the youthful beautiful beasts that you are, –wink- Will you do my disclaimer for me? It tears me apart to do it myself! I am just a simple artist; things like this are beyond my abilities. –big glossy tear eyes-

**Lee:** YOSH! Gai-sensei! We, in our youthfulness, should do this deed for poor Bundyangel-chan! What do you think Gai-sensei?

**Gai: **That is truly youthful of you Lee! It shows your pure youthfulness!

**Lee:** Yosh! Bundyangel-chan does not own Gai-sensei,

**Gai: **Or Lee,

**Lee:** Or any character in the Naruto series, including Naruto-kun.

**Gai:** Though it pains her and tugs at her youth, Bundyangel-san doesn't own the plot of Naruto, the scenery, the music, or any of the names. She makes no claim to it all.

**Lee:** She does however claim the plot of her story and being a rabid Naruto fan especially on her OTP SasuXSaku!

**Me:** Thank you Lee-san. Thank you Gai-sensei. You were very thorough. –Wipes away a tear-

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"Baaaka"- regular speech

'_Baaaka'_-thoughts, flashbacks, and italics

'**_Baaaka!'_**- Inner self's

The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III

Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 6: Finding some Truths in a World of Lies.

By Bundyangel

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(Normal P.O.V.) – (With Sakura)

Beep. 

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

Sakura eyebrows furrowed and she blinked open hazy eyes to all white. Blinking a few times more to clear her vision she turned her head to the right to see the familiar machines she worked with on a daily basis, including the one making the god awful noise that woke her from her sleep. Sakura knew where she was.

The hospital. More precisely the Konoha Hospital in the hidden village in the leaves.

Sakura shivered and then sucked in a breath sharply as needles of pain shot into her shoulder. It all came back to her: the mission, Orochimaru, The fight, the seal, Sasuke, and… the kiss.

Sakura groaned as she swiveled her head to the other side and smiled as she saw two unconscious blonds. Naruto was leaning back in his chair with his arms hanging off the sides and Ino had slipped sideways with her head on Naruto's shoulder. What amused Sakura the most was the large dribble of spit that was about 2 seconds from falling into Ino's once again long hair.

Sakura debated mentally to try and wake her friend or not. She pushed herself into an upright position and with a smirk on her face closed her eyes and carefully folded her hands in her lap. She started mentally counting, Inner Sakura cheering along as she went.

'_5…' **'Fuck yeah oh HERE WE GO!'**_

'_4…' **'Oh hells yeah! Take this Ino Pig!'**_

'_3…' **'Revenge is SOOOOOO sweet!'**_

'_2…' **'Whose the better one now?!'**_

'_1…' **'AAAhahahahaaa! SHANNARO!!!'**_

…

"WHAT THE HELL?! OH MY GOD NARUTO **EWWW!!!!**"

"Huh? Oh. OH! Eheheh, Gomen Ino-san GOMEN!"

"IM GONNA KILL YOU SO DEAD HINATAS BYAKUGAN CANT FIND EVEN FIND YOUR REMAINS!!!" Sakura opened her left eye a slit and grinned when she saw Naruto cowering in the corner bandaged up with Ino standing over him her hand raised with a kunai in it and a large drop of drool sliding down through her hair,

"I SAID SORRY INO!!!"

"YOU _DROOLED_ IN MY **_HAIR_**!!!" Sakura opened her eyes and a full-fledged smile spread across her face, she pushed it back down though as she cleared her throat.

"Ino-pig, if you kill Naruto Hinata _will_ turn your innards into gruel. Also the drool is running into your hair. If it dries it'll smell like ramen. You do realize that, right?" Two blond heads whipped in her direction and Sakura managed to suppress her grin as Inner Sakura rolled on the ground laughing her ass off.

"SAKURA-CHYYAAAAAAAN!"

"Forehead-… Oh.My.God EWW!" Ino screeched loudly and zoomed out of the room intent on scrubbing her hair till it squeaked.

Naruto blinked as Ino left and Sakura smirked. Any jab at Ino was a good jab in her book. Naruto sighed in relief as he pushed himself out of the corner and plopped down in the chair he had previously occupied. He grinned sheepishly at Sakura and leaned forward,

"How are you feeling Sakura-chan?" Sakura smiled lightly at him and tilted her head to the side,

"I'm fine Naruto. A little stiff, a little sore, but otherwise I'm fine. I'll be okay." Sakura drew back a little as Naruto leaned even further forward and dropped his smile,

"Are you sure Sakura-chan? You fought Sasuke and Orochimaru, and then you passed out. Plus that mark… Are you really okay?"

"I'm FINE Naruto really. You should have more faith in me. If Sasuke could take a curse mark as a 12 year old Genin then I should be able to take it as a 16 year old Chuunin." Naruto furrowed his eyebrows and looked unsure. Sakura let her gaze wander his face and her eyes landed on the bandage at the back of his head, "How are you doing Naruto?"

Naruto touched the back of his head and gave Sakura a foxy grin,

"I'm great Sakura-chan! Sasuke-teme just has gotten lazy and can't knock someone unconscious right anymore! Shows how much good Sound has done for him!" Sakura smiled and her gaze dropped to her lap,

"Yeah. It's done plenty." Naruto gave her a 'huh?' look before he got to his feet and locked his fingers behind his head,

"Weeell, Sakura-chyyaaaan. I've got a ramen date with Hinata-chan at so I'm gonna let you rest, neh?" Sakura grinned at him again and nodded her head,

"Sure Naruto, you go have some fun. Would you do me a favor on your way out? Tell the head nurse I don't want any visitors at least until tomorrow please?" Naruto gave Sakura another worried look before he sighed and closed his eyes a moment before opening them and giving her another small smile,

"Alright Sakura-chan. I'll let her know, But I am coming to see you tomorrow! Sayonara Sakura-chan!" Sakura gave him a small wave as he left and smiled,

"Ja ne Naruto." Sakura kept the smile up until Naruto left.

Once he left the smile slipped from her face and her shoulders lowered as she slumped back. Sakura reached up her right hand to clutch at the bridge of her neck where it met her shoulder. The curse mark had been prickling ever since she woke up and now it had become a dull throb. Clutching the mark harder, Sakura's gaze dropped to her lap and what happened the day before flashed through and consumed her thoughts.

_((Oh my god FLASHBACK!! Everyone scream NOOOOOOO!))_

_Sakura growled in anger and reaching into her pouch threw out several shuriken's. Sasuke sighed and simply stepped to the side and waited till he heard the sound of them hitting tree bark before he disappeared from view. Sakura spun around trying to pinpoint him and growling once more, screamed out,_

"_Damn it Uchiha! Don't you hide from me! I hate you Uchiha! You're a coward who can't face the fact that I'm stronger then you now!" Sakura felt tears stream down her cheeks and she sunk to her knees. Sasuke narrowed his eyes but didn't move from his hiding spot,_

"_I hate you Sasuke, I hate you!" Sakura's voice cracked on the last word and she furiously wiped away the tears,_

"_I hate you for making these tears! I hate you for thinking you can waltz back into my life without a consequence! I hate you for abandoning us! I hate you because you don't care! I hate you for leaving me! I hate you so much Sasuke!" Sakura punched a fist into the ground as she gasped for air and hiccupped once,_

"_I hate myself even more for the fact that I still care! I hate that I still want you to come back! I hate that I need your respect!" Sakura's arms collapsed down to her elbows and her shoulder shook as she continued to cry with her face buried in her arms._

_Sakura didn't stop crying when he appeared over her and she didn't look up when he softly said her name,_

"_Sakura." He paused, "You're worse then annoying now. You're rather pathetic." Sasuke crossed his arms before turning and walking away…_

_((Oh my god end of flashback! Everyone sigh and say hallelujah!))_

Sakura sat strait up and then leaned forward as the last memory ran through her head,

'_How could I have been so stupid?'_

'_**It happens to the best of us.'**_

'_Why did I give in to the horrid thing?'_

'_**Because it screwed with our mind, duh.'**_

'_Why did Sasuke kiss me and why did I let him?' _

'_**Because were friggen HOT! And he's fucking GORGEOUS! Girl have you seen his eyes?!'**_

'_What was I thinking spilling my guts to him like that?!'_

'_**You were thinking that it was about damn time he heard the truth!'**_

'_We've been through that before, he doesn't care about how I feel.'_

'_**Thank you captain obvious!'**_

'_SHUT THE HELL UP INNER!'_

'…_**Err… sorry?'**_

Sakura sighed and sent her inner self a mental apology. How screwed up was she? She even snaps at and is mean to herself. Sakura dropped the arm from her neck and stared at her hands. Feeling tears well up in her eyes she jumped at a sudden voice,

"Stop it." Sakura blinked back her tears as her face snapped up to stare into the silver eyes of the Hyuuga prodigy.

Neji was leaning against the empty doorjamb, Naruto having forgotten to close the door. His arms were crossed and he just seemed to ooze importance and power. Sakura sat strait again and gave him a small smile,

"Neji. How are you? How is everyone?" Neji stood strait and walked further into the room closing the door behind him,

"I said to stop it." Sakura looked at him confusedly,

"I don't understand. Stop what?" Neji smirked

"Pretending." Sakura gave a annoyed huff,

"Pretending what?!"

"That this experience doesn't affect you." Sakura's eyes widened and she froze in shock,

"W- what are you talking about? I'm not pretending anything." Neji walked forward until he stood at the end of her bed. His arms remained crossed and he closed his eyes momentarily,

"Yes you are Sakura. You are upset, confused, angry, in pain, and frustrated. Yet as soon as anyone gives a sign they are near you put on your happy act."

"My 'happy act'?" Neji nodded,

"Yes, your happy act. The one where your shoulders square and a smile almost never leaves your face. You force a sparkle to your eye and assure everyone you are fine and you'll be okay even when inside you are crying and mentally tearing your hair out and clawing your eyes for even thinking of showing weakness in front of people."

Sakura froze stiff. Was she that readable? Obviously since Neji had just told said back to her, her entire strategy to be strong. Sakura opened her mouth to reply but Neji held up a hand and continued,

"Don't try to defend yourself to me Sakura I am not making accusations. I am stating a fact. I have learned form Naruto you can change destiny and defy fate but I still remain right in one aspect of my former opinion. People cannot change themselves." Sakura sat up with a new fire in her eyes,

"No you are still wrong! Look at Naruto he changed him self! He used to be weak, a loser, and a dead last and now he is strong!" Neji shook his head,

"Naruto was never a loser or weak. Naruto was never a loser because he never gave himself that label, so he was never a loser. Naruto was also never weak. He has always been strong simply because of what he has gone through his whole life. He was strong but in different ways then of power. He is however still a dead last. He's the only shinobi in our age group still a Genin, as he was the last of his class that graduated from the academy." Neji sighed as he took Naruto's former seat and he continued,

"Uchiha always called you weak and annoying. You were always the burden of your team. This is not true. You were not physically strong but you were very intelligent and perceptive. Intelligence IS power. Being perceptive could save your life. You are not annoying. Things you said annoyed the Uchiha because he did not or could not respond in a way that would not show his emotions, as was his way. You however ARE a burden." Neji paused and Sakura visibly flinched,

"You are a burden because you DID label yourself as one. Though you have tried to change that fact it remains the same. Who was the one on this last mission that needed saving? You were. Who was the worst hurt? You were. Who needed protection? You did. You try and hide your flaws under a happy demeanor and a chakra infused punch but the fact remains the same. When it come to your team, you are the burden." Sakura bowed her head silently and clenched her hands in her lap and was about to respond when Neji continued again,

"Thankfully you labeled yourself a specific way. You say you are a burden to your _team_. But I nor Shikamaru nor Hinata nor any of the shinobi other then Naruto, the pervert, and the Uchiha are your team. That is why you have your happy act. Because it is the only way you have to avoid the fact that to your team you are a burden. But to the rest of you aren't. You are a valued kunoichi and a good friend. That is why you should not use your happy act." Sakura looked up with a small cracked smile and said softly,

"Thank you Neji. In your own unchangeable way, you helped. I guess I just don't want anyone to have to pity me or defend me anymore. I want to stand on my own two feet." Neji smirked at her and stood,

"No one wants pity. Also you can stand on your own feet. Everyone can." Neji raked a look over her and stood, "You'll just do it once your healed. If you'll excuse me I think I stayed longer then I intended." Sakura smiled at him and Neji nodded before turning and leaving the room shutting the door behind him.

Sakura mulled over his words for a minute before sliding back down under the covers and drifting off to a deep sleep, a smile adorning her face.

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**Bundyangel**: hellllllo everyone! I tried to make this chapter longer to make up for the fact I haven't updated in a month! I swear I'm really really REALLY sorry!

I talked the plot of this story over with my brother and I've figured that the first part of my trilogy (this story) will be about 12 – 13 chapters long

NOW DON'T PANIC! This means that there are at least 6 more chapters after this one! I promise you'll love it!

Now not only has NO ONE told me the name of the headbands (is it really that difficult?) but no one has said their opinion about me putting a lemon (sex scene) in the story, seriously people **_I WANT YOUR IDEAS AND OPINIONS!!!!_**

Tell me things! Where did I suck? Did I draw things out to much? What do you think will happen? What do you think SHOULD happen? Talk to me people! I swear the only thing ill do is thank you for your opinion! FLAME ME IF YOU HAVE TO!

Anyway pester me if I don't update. Really though, two reviews a chapter is not a whole lot of influence to update. Seriously 'update soon' as a review does nothing for me. You say that and I go 'Yeah well you get in front of my computer and kill the writers block bunnies trying to have sex in my brain, write a long chapter with as few errors without a beta as possible, and then maybe just MAYBE 'update soon' will give me inspiration I need to write the next chapter. Good luck with that.

Sorry the lack of response to my story has been getting to me. Anyway I still love you all! I do appreciate the reviews even with 'update soon' it just doesn't inspire me. Ja ne!

Reviews with the button make the button and angel happy!


	7. Ch7: Realizing you’re alone

**Bundyangel: **well people here's chapter 7! Its long overdue and I know that and I'm really, really sorry! Gomen! Gomen! Gomen-nasai!

Here are the reviewers I got since my last update! HOSHIT I got 7 reviews!!! **_7!!!!_**

**Bluewaterstarfire (who reviewed TWICE!!! Score)**

**Bee-Leaf86**

**Sequha**

**Chronos Spirit**

**SCREAM-jessamy**

**And public.enemy128**

Squeal! You all have no idea how happy that makes me! Cause they weren't just 'update soon!!' they were actually you know like helpful. Opinions, ideas what I did wrong, you know.

THANK YOU SEQUHA! Finally! She finally told me the name of the headband; hitai-ate.

I'm gonna dedicate this chapter to Chronos Spirit because she's going through a rough time right now and even though she felt like crap managed to squeeze out a chapter just for us fans! Neon-Pirate-Taru this ones for you!

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_**DISCLAIMER:**_

**Me:** Okay apparently Gai-sensei and Lee-san scarred people mentally for life so I've locked them in the box again. Why? Because I CAN. Yes people, being an Authoress has its perks. Anyway on to my disclaimer! I've dragged-… err… I mean I've brought in Kiba and Akamaru!

**Kiba:** You Skank! GO DIE!

**Akamaru:** Eeeruff!

**Me:** Nani?! YOU GO DIE!!! I offered you a chance to be awesome and entertain your fans! BUT FINE! I'll get NARUTO to do it! He gladly did it last time AND without swearing at me! Bastard!

**Kiba:** What?! Oh no you don't! You're not getting the blond idiot to do MY job! Right Akamaru?

**Akamaru:** RUFF ruff!

**Me:** Oh then for god's sakes just DO IT! –Bashes head against nearby wall-

**Kiba:** Psychopathic crazy woman! Anyway! Bundyangel**_-baa-chan _**doesn't own Naruto the character or the series. She doesn't own the plot, the backgrounds, the catch phrases, and sure as hell she doesn't own Akamaru or me!

**Me:** Fuck you dog breath! Minor boy! I'm older and cuter then you'll ever be!

**Kiba:** You had me injured! Before I even got to kick anyone's ass!

**Me:** Its Orochimaru grass for brains! You couldn't take down a Sannin if your life depended on it!

**Kiba:** …

**Me:** Thought so. Now go scratch your ass, lick plastic squeakers, and bite wood dog-boy. Cause this is my story and you're lucky I paired you up with Ino already or you would go die alone… oh dear god what have I punished Ino to?! And she was so nice too…

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"Baaaka"- regular speech

'_Baaaka'_-thoughts, flashbacks, and italics

'**_Baaaka!'_**- Inner self's

The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III

Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 7: Realizing you're alone

By Bundyangel

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(Normal point of view)

Sakura sat at the edge of the bed her hands clasped in her lap as Tsunade gently ran a chakra covered hand over her, checking her over one last time.

It had been almost a week since the encounter in the forest and her talk with Neji. Sakura breathed evenly as the memories of the past week swamped her again.

Naruto and Ino both came several times to see her. Hinata, Kiba, Lee, Shikamaru, and Tenten had all came and seen her a few times.

Neji hadn't shown once since his first visit, but Sakura expected that. Neji wasn't the social type he went where needed and if he wasn't needed then he wasn't around.

Sakura sighed as Tsunade finished and lowered her hands away from Sakura and sat down in a chair going over a clipboard.

This past week had been hell for Sakura. At random times her curse mark would spring up and stab her with pain sharply before settling down for a dull ache that gave her a headache and forced her to deny visitors. Luckily no one was ever around when this happened except for one time with Naruto. But Naruto understood and told no one after Sakura's request not to.

Tsunade stood again and pinned Sakura with an intense gaze that softened into a smile. Sakura tentatively smiled back and relaxed somewhat. Tsunade wasn't scowling that meant she could finally leave! Score. Sakura paid more attention when Tsunade began to speak,

"Sakura. I'm going to allow you to leave now, but I must warn you. Neither I nor any of the elders have ever seen that type of mark. Be extremely careful. You've dealt with the curse mark before with Sasuke. But this is different, if the story I was told is accurate then this mark is so much stronger and even more deadly." Tsunade interlocked her fingers and leaning forward rested her chin on it,

"That's why the elders and I have decided to not try any kind of seal on it. It could at any time during the process spring up and either; kill you or one of us. Don't let your will waver and don't put yourself in a situation where you are stressed." Tsunade stood and took a few steps away not looking at Sakura,

"We'll observe how it reacts over the next couple of weeks and then I'll decide if you are able to be a kunoichi anymore."

Sakura gasped and jumped up from the bed her eyes wide and her fists clenched,

"You'd strip me of my ninja status and rank?! Shinshou you can't do that to me! I've worked too hard and come too far to become a civilian again! How would I function there?! I don't know how to be a bystander! What would Naruto and everyone say? I'm a great medic-nin! I can't just stop doing my job!"

"**_SILENCE!!!" _**Sakura drew back sharply at the loud hard tone of her mentors voice,

"You are _MY_ apprentice and you _WILL_ do as I say. If not as your teacher then as your HOKAGE! Don't think you can talk to me like that Haruno!" Tsunade turned around and strode back across the room, her usually warm honey colored eyes hard like Amber,

" Remember you are only a Chuunin and I am your boss! If I say that you are unfit to be a kunoichi I will do my duty and not hesitate to strip you of your rank and shinobi status! Listen to me when I talk to you Sakura! I said I would observe you for the next few weeks! I didn't say I was going to take away all your worldly possessions, drain you of chakra, and dump you in the lower part of Konoha! I already made you my apprentice for a reason Sakura! It does have more worth then being a pretty title!"

Sakura bowed her head and squeezed her eyes together to stem the stream of crystalline tears that threatened to pour down her face as the meaning of her teachers words sunk in and left a hollow feeling and sharp sting like a back hand every other word. Sakura clasped her hands in front of her and bowed her head lower,

"I'm sorry Tsunade-Shinshou. I should not have spoken so free and rudely. Please forgive me!" Sakura's voice cracked on the last sentence and she stiffened in shock as Tsunade stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the younger girls trembling shoulders,

"Sakura. This is what I was talking about. You overreacted to my words and put yourself in a stressful situation. You need to avoid that. If you continue to flip out like that throughout the observation period I will unfortunately have no choice but to remove you from the shinobi ranks. Understand? I'm not doing this to hurt you, I'm doing this because I care and worry for you."

Sakura took a shuddering breath and nodded into her teachers shoulder. Tsunade gave Sakura one more squeeze before releasing her and stepping back. Tsunade gave her a kind smile and turning walked to the door,

"Remember Sakura, don't stress. Now scat. You've got friends waiting for you out in the town."

Sakura gave Tsunade a small smile before nodding again and giving a small murmur of thanks. She followed her teacher out of the room and down to the ground floor before they split ways; Tsunade to her office and Sakura out to walk and look what was going on in the city.

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(A hour or three later)

Well Sakura felt sufficiently out of place. Its not that she wasn't wanted but it was that she didn't want to interrupt. Apparently today was couples day of some kind because everywhere Sakura went there were couples or small groups of even numbers. Lets list them shall we?

Naruto and Hinata – At the Ramen bar eating Ramen with one hand and holding each other's with the other.

Lee and Tenten – Walking and training out in the fields.

Ino and Kiba – They were sitting inside Ino's family flower shop. Ino was giggling because Akamaru had somehow managed to spill fresh dirt over Kiba and he was turning different shapes trying to get it out of his hair and out from inside his shirt.

Shikamaru and Temari – Okay, Sakura hadn't exactly seen them because they were in Suna, but Sakura knew they were doing something cute and romantic. Shikamaru may be lazy but no one could say he wasn't the perfect romantic sweetheart to Temari.

Neji – hidden away in the Hyuuga compound Sakura wasn't even going to go _near_.

Shino and Choji –Don't even think it people. They are out on missions, not that Sakura talked to them a whole lot to begin with. Being on different teams and all, you know?

Feeling maybe it was better to follow her Shinshou's words, Sakura held her head up higher and walked back to her apartment. Entering and locking the door behind her Sakura sighed and became aware of the throbbing in her shoulder again.

Walking into the bathroom Sakura pulled down the shoulder of her shirt and looked at the mark.

Sakura gave a harsh bitter laugh

A little black cherry blossom. How completely ironic. Leave it to Orochimaru to make her curse mark a play of her name. Do evil perverted snake-geniuses have _any_ imagination?

Sakura sighed and pulled her shirt back up trudging out the bathroom and for her bed,

'_Stupid curse mark! Thank god the headaches went away. I have no idea what I'd do if those kept coming back.'_

'_**Cha! We should go kill the snake-bastard for it! Oh and bring Sasuke-kun back as well of course! But really kill the snake perv!'**_

'_Inner. Do the words 'legendary sannin' mean ANYTHING at all to you?'_

'_**Nope. They mean jack shit. Does that count?'**_

'_No, Inner, It doesn't.'_

'_**Well that's a load of crap!'**_

'_Inner self?'_

'_**Yeah?'**_

'_Shut the hell up?'_

' '_**Kay.'**_

'_Thanks.'_

Sakura sighed after the mental conversation as she slipped off her shinobi boots and quickly changed into comfortable flannel pajama bottoms and a tank top.

Sakura slipped into bed and snuggled down into the pillow intent on instant sleep and had started to doze when a dark chuckle rang through the room and dark voice called out,

"Well Sakura, Lovely idea with the lock on your front door. Too bad it didn't work."

Sakura's eyes sprang open and bolting strait up in bed swung her head around to meet sultry onyx eyes that stared at her form the window with a flat intense gaze and a smirk from a luscious mouth to accompany it.

Sakura's emerald eyes widened and then narrowed as she whispered out,

"Sasuke-... Kun."

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**Bundyangel:** I'm a dirty evil skank I know it. Anyway reviews/reply's are loved and appreciated.

Pushing the review button makes Mr. button and I both very happy

Hope your enjoying it so far!


	8. Ch8:An Offer you Almost Couldn't Refuse

**Bundyangel: **Hi all again!Well people here's chapter 8! I actually got this out within a month… I think… but its sooner! Yeah! Congratulations to me! 8 days!

Give thanks to my inner self/muse/ ninja Cari Oonishi. It's kind of weird I named her Cari since my name is Jennifer but meh, go figure! XD

Here are the reviewers I got since my last update! I got 7 reviews!!! **_7!!!! AGAIN!!!!!!_**

**ninja-kyoko**

**Bee-Leaf86**

**Sequha**

**Chronos Spirit**

**SCREAM-jessamy**

**XxSwingLifeAwayxX**

**And MistressBlossom**

W00t!!! You STILL all have no idea how happy that makes me!

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_**DISCLAIMER:**_

**Me:** Hmmm today I think ill have our favorite heiress kunoichi do my disclaimer. Hinata if you would?

**Hinata:** But of course Bundyangel-san.

**Me:** Thanks Hinata I appreciate it.

**Hinata:** Of course, Bundyangel-san does not own Naruto-kun, the series Naruto, or anything in connection to it, including myself. She makes no claim to it at all. She does however claim this plot she came up with.

**Me:** Once again thanks Hinata-chan!

Hinata smiles and bows before making her leave.

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"Baaaka"- regular speech

'_Baaaka'_-thoughts, flashbacks, and italics

'**_Baaaka!'_**- Inner self's

The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III

Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 8: An offer you almost couldn't refuse.

By Bundyangel

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_(IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER) _

_Sakura slipped into bed and snuggled down into the pillow intent on instant sleep and had started to doze when a dark chuckle rang through the room and dark voice called out,_

"_Well Sakura, Lovely idea with the lock on your front door. Too bad it didn't work."_

_Sakura's eyes sprang open and bolting strait up in bed swung her head around to meet sultry onyx eyes that stared at her from the window with a flat intense gaze and a smirk from a luscious mouth to accompany it._

_Sakura's emerald eyes widened and then narrowed as she whispered out,_

"_Sasuke-... Kun."_

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(Sakura's Point of View)

I never removed my gaze from Sasuke as I reached under my pillow for the few kunai I was never without but froze when I felt nothing but cotton bedspread and pillowcase.

That _bastard_.

He took my kunai, and I never even sensed him doing it. I quickly tore my eyes from him and looked around my room at the strategic places I stored weapons and I felt my blood boil when they were _all gone_.

"You evil bastard! Why the hell are you here? Who said you could into my house or touch my things?" I growled and I couldn't believe my voice could get that low sounding. And to my dismay all the bastard did was smirk and look out the window.

I gritted my teeth and after a few minutes as ready to leap at him with my bare hands when he swung his head to stare at me with those twin pools of midnight eyes of his and I was frozen.

"Sakura. How… are you doing?" My eyes widened at not only the question and show of emotion from Sasuke but also the fact that he looked uncomfortable asking it, as if he wasn't sure how to phrase what he wanted to say.

Too bad for him I was still angry with him.

I laughed bitterly,

"And why the hell would you care? But if you simply **_must_** know, I'm in hell!" Sasuke arched an eyebrow in question and ignoring it I stood and started pacing the length of my room clenching and unclenching my fists. I continued, "Almost everyone is enjoying their lives and moving on and I can't! I'm not even allowed anymore to do the one thing that's kept me sane for the past couple of years! All because of your psychopathic sensei and his fetish for turning normal peoples life to hell!"

I ran my hands into my short hair and gripped tightly before turning to glare Sasuke, "I can't move on because I'm scared to let go of you! I'm scared I won't be able to! Scared that the moment I do my life will fall apart even more then it already has." I screwed my eyes shut and removing my hands from my hair dropped them to my sides and turned my head off to the side,

"They can't even put a seal on it Sasuke." I hissed that sentence at him in a low angry voice, "There's a chance if they did it would kill me or spring up and attack them. I'm a fucking walking time bomb, Sasuke! There's a chance Tsunade-Shinshou won't let me be a kunoichi anymore." That moment the curse mark chose to act up and pulsed with its uncontained power.

I sucked in a sharp breath and clamped my hand over it. I looked up in shock of what Sasuke said next,

"Let me help."

"Let you help…?" My brain wasn't registering what he said when it clicked and my bitter laughter once again rang out in mocking waves, "Let you HELP?! Are you stupid as well as insane? Help? How the hell do you plan to help me Sasuke? You're a wanted missing-nin! If anyone, ANYONE finds out that you're here you're as good as dead! You can't help me dead or in prison!" I froze again from his deep chuckles,

I freeze way too damn much around him.

"Who said I'd die or be in prison?" I let out a frustrated roar,

"I DID you Idiot! You can't waltz back into Konoha and expect to be welcomed without some kind of punishment! You'd be lucky if you weren't killed on the spot!" He smirked again,

"You assume too much Sakura. I didn't say I was returning to Konoha." Now I was seriously tested to bang my head against a wall,

"Then how the fuck do you plan to help me Sasuke?! I'm not going to be quiet if you decide to constantly sneak in Konoha."

"I won't have to do that either Sakura… Sakura? What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm beating my head on the wall." I could practically feel his questioning gaze on me,

"… Why?"

"Because I'm going to bash my brains out before you make me go insane." I continued to lightly smack my head on my bedroom wall and he snickered lightly,

"Should I just explain my offer?" I stopped hitting my head on the wall and turned to look at him with a small smile. I could feel my eye twitching,

"Would you? That'd be _ever_ so helpful." His smirked widened to borderline smile and he suddenly became serious he walked forward to stand in the middle of my room,

"I want you to come to sound with me."

"**_Oh fucking HELL NO!!!_**" Sasuke ignored my outraged reply and continued,

"Both Orochimaru and I would help teach you how to control your curse mark. He would give you power and you'd get what you begged me for 3 years ago. You'd get to be with me."

"Didn't you hear me the first time?! I said no! Fucking no way in hell! You must be crazy for you to even think for a minute id say yes and go to that pathetic excuse of a village!"

"Of course I heard you Sakura. I'm powerful not deaf."

'_**And pretty damn hot to boot!'**_

'_NOT FUCKING NOW INNER!"_

'**_Damn woman did the curse mark give you PMS too? GOD!' _**Sasuke continued unaware of my mental argument,

"What I'm saying is that I'm giving you an offer. One you don't have to decide on right now."

"Oh and what's that?"

"I'm going to be camped about a mile outside of Konoha for the next week. After that week I'm leaving back to sound. Now as much as I would like to make that the deadline for your decision, Orochimaru says you have till two weeks after I leave to make up your mind." Sasuke crossed his arms and shrugged,

"So basically you have a month from now to consider my proposition. You have till then to mull over the recent events and decide what is in your best interests." Sasuke held up a hand to silence my outburst he knew was coming,

"Before you fly off the handle on me, at least listen to the benefits you would have." I snapped my mouth shut and mirrored his moments but kept one hand on my curse mark. He smirked and continued, "Smart girl. Not only would Orochimaru give you control of the curse mark, he'd give you the ability to go to stage two of the curse mark whenever you pleased like I can." I scoffed interrupting him,

"I can already do that smart one."

"No you can't." I arched an eyebrow in question, "You could put all your energy into it right now but no matter how hard you tried you couldn't attain second level again like at the clearing. That was a result of Orochimaru's miscalculations. He put too much chakra into the binding." I narrowed my eyes at him and dropped my hand from my curse mark,

"He would also order Kabuto to help you develop more of your medical jutsus. Orochimaru and Kabuto have developed some that even Tsunade has never dreamed of. I would also help you train you overall. I am a master of all aspects. You would also keep your Chuunin rank or have an even higher one in sound. You would most likely be made my partner, seeing as we were once on a team and you would be the closest thing to a friend id have there." I locked eyes with Sasuke,

"But then of course you could stay here. Where you have the chance of being made a civilian again and would be forced to avoid to the other villagers because of the mere chance your little control would slip. After being made a civilian you would be distanced from your friends seeing as they would all be much too busy with their own ninja lives to go look for the little pink civilian they used to know as their kunoichi friend." He shrugged again, the bastard,

"Even if you didn't become a civilian your shinobi life would still be very limited. Tsunade would be afraid to send you on missions for the chance that you'd snap, especially should it be in an alliance territory, and then you'd risk war. So most likely you'd be sent on scouting or kept to the office to do paperwork. You'd see your friends but still not as often as you are used to now. If they weren't on missions they would be caught up in their own lives, and those that are not close to you would avoid you like the plague. Simply because of what you are now." I bent my face down letting my bangs shield my face.

"Oh Sasuke? And what is it I am now?"

"Orochimaru's cursed link to this village." I felt one tear streak down my cheek.

All my worst nightmares, all my worst fears, all the possible outcomes of my life, they were all just laid before me and were just as pitiful if not more so then I thought. I was ashamed. I had only two choices.

One; I could stay here and fight my way through the hardships that would probably last forever. I would have to rebuild all of the villages' belief in me. Everyone knew I had the curse mark now, and if they didn't know I had no seal on it by now they soon would. I would have to reinforce my friendships and suffer so much emotional torture. I would however stay in my home, the place where I was safe. Where my friends were and where my family was buried. I would stay with the respect of my peers if not their fear. I would at least have my honor and retain my loyalties to Konoha and Tsunade-Shinshou

Two; I could go to Sound and become the second traitor of my team. I would become a little girl in a village full of people who would stab me in the back at the slightest provocation. I would be taken to the home of the person I hated most in the world. It would be a place that they would return my smile and would scorn me for even pretending to be happy. I would however get stronger. I mean training under two sannin would have some benefits right? I would be near Sasuke. I would be most likely made his partner and I would be the first person he'd let close to him in years. But most of all I would have control, control of the curse mark, control of my emotions, and control of my life.

I stiffened when I felt Sasuke walk toward me. I knew he wouldn't _hurt_ me because now he wanted me to come with him, but that didn't mean I was going to let my guard down with him near. He could decide to screw the plan and throw me over his shoulder and pack me away to Sound.

All he did though was raise a hand and wipe the tear from my face,

"The truth hurts Sakura, but those are your current options. I don't lie." He dropped his hand and turning I walked past him to stand next to the window looking at the slightly cloudy sky and half moon.

After a minute Sasuke walked up behind me and stared at the moon as well over my left shoulder. I relaxed a little, as he did nothing but stand there. I opened my mouth to speak when a jolt of pain shot through my body and I went rigid letting out a small noise of pain.

He had just bent his head down and placed a soft kiss to my shoulder where my curse mark was. Sasuke inhaled sharply; apparently he felt the pain as well. It was like a shock of electricity to the system and you certainly felt the after effects.

But Sasuke growled lowly under his breath and determinedly laid his cheek on my shoulder wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me back so I rested against his warm chest. Soon the waves of pain receded and my body relaxed.

It was all too much in one day for me and I knew it. My eyelids grew heavier and I kept linking them rapidly to keep them open. Sasuke was in my room with his arms around me. No matter how tired I was I was _not_ going to miss this. But damn it his chest was really warm, and this day was so emotionally draining.

Apparently Sasuke felt my sleepiness and it amused him, for he smirked and chuckled lightly,

"Sakura. With control, things like this wouldn't hurt anymore. But I do think this has been a little too much for you. Time for sleep." I nodded silently as his arms tightened and I sank onto his warmth and strength and allowed the blanket of unconsciousness to begin its work over my body. I felt Sasuke lift me up and put me on my bed. Pulling up the covers and laying a soft quick kiss onto my lips. The last thing I heard before my mind slipped into dreams was his light laughter and a quiet,

"Good night Sakura. I'll see you around."

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**Bundyangel:** I'm so excited about this story right now! Anyway reviews/reply's are loved and appreciated.

Pushing the review button makes Mr. button and I both very happy

Hope your enjoying it so far! Also remember! If you see any mistakes be sure to let me know so I am aware of it. I beta myself and sometimes I don't catch things.

Oh yeah!

_**Happy belated birthday Sakura-chan!!!!**_


	9. Ch9: Reactions and weighing the choices

**Bundyangel:** Woo things have been going crazy peeps but with some awesome reviewers I was persuaded to update again CHA! –Strikes a pose-

Anyway, I'm might slow up with my updates again. I joined the golf team (I'm the only girl and the school paper interviewed me! HA!!!) And I've also got a choir concert coming up. I've got 3 solos in it, so I need practice and all that so ill still try my best to update, cause I love you all.

Well on to the reviews! I got 7 again! That's like three times in a row! That makes it super awesome!!!!!! Yayness! There are awesome props to these people:

SCREAM-jessamy 

uchihasakurah26 

**Chronos Spirit **

**sequha **

**lis1022 **

**-my-name-is-V- **

**Ninja Kyoko **

WOOOOOOOOOOO mad love again and props for these people because they rock my writing world!

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**_Disclaimer:_**

**Me:** Okay, this week I'm staying ninja for my disclaimer… I guess. But they're kind of in their angelic and demonic forms! I'm bringing in Two original Characters from the Naruto Roleplay site I'm a part of **_Naruto Seishin_**. Please Welcome Angelic Yukio and Demonic Ekaitz!

**Angelic Yukio:** Umm… Hi? XD

**Demonic Ekaitz:** Aww is Yuki-puu nervous?

**Angelic Yukio:** Of course not! I'm just not certain why I'm here.

**Me:** We'll you all are here because… well… I asked you to do my disclaimer?

**Demonic Ekaitz:** Why can't you do it yourself?

**Me:** Cause I'm cool like that.

**Angelic Yukio:** I suppose we should do the disclaimer now?

**Demonic Ekaitz:** Pfft, Why?

**Angelic Yukio:** Because if we don't then Bundyangel is stealing! And that is a Sin! And Bundyangel is not a sinner!

**Demonic Ekaitz:** Of _course _Yuki-puu. Whatever was I thinking?!

**Angelic Yukio:** Sinful things.

**Demonic Ekaitz:** What?

**Me:** WELL anyway!! Lets just… not… stray form the topic at hand okay? I want to warn and entertain my readers, not corrupt them.

**Demonic Ekaitz:** Too bad, there's always room for damned souls in hell. Right Yuki-puu?

**Angelic Yukio:** … No. Continuing on! Bundyangel does not own Naruto, the series Naruto, no backgrounds, sound effects, characters, appearances, plot, music, or anything at ALL that has to do with the series Naruto. She makes no claim to it at all.

**Demonic Ekaitz:** Thorough aren't we Yuki-puu?

**Angelic Yukio:** God always says better to be safe then sorry!

**Demonic Ekaitz:** Yeah yeah… Are we done now?

**Me:** You didn't even do anything except ask questions.

**Demonic Ekaitz:** So?

**Me:** -sighs- never mind. Thank you both for coming. Now onto my story!

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"Baaaka"- regular speech

'_Baaaka'_-thoughts, flashbacks, and italics

'**_Baaaka!'_**- Inner self's

The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III

Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 9: Reactions and weighing the choices.

By Bundyangel

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_It was all too much in one day for me and I knew it. My eyelids grew heavier and I kept linking them rapidly to keep them open. Sasuke was in my room with his arms around me. No matter how tired I was I was not going to miss this. But damn it his chest was really warm, and this day was so emotionally draining. _

_Apparently Sasuke felt my sleepiness and it amused him, for he smirked and chuckled lightly, _

_"Sakura. With control, things like this wouldn't hurt anymore. But I do think this has been a little too much for you. Time for sleep." I nodded silently as his arms tightened and I sank onto his warmth and strength and allowed the blanket of unconsciousness to begin its work over my body. I felt Sasuke lift me up and put me on my bed. Pulling up the covers and laying a soft quick kiss onto my lips. The last thing I heard before my mind slipped into dreams was his light laughter and a quiet, _

_"Good night Sakura. I'll see you around." _

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_(Normal P.O.V.) _

Sakura mumbled incoherently still half asleep as she turned over in her bed and slipped a hand under her pillow,

"Ouch!" Sakura sat up clutching her hand.

It was bleeding slightly from a small cut. Confused, Sakura lifted up her pillow and saw her kunai in its place once again. Sakura raised an eyebrow confused and looked around her room,

_'Soo… He put all my weapons back? … Why on earth would he do that? Idiot.'_ Shrugging Sakura healed her cut finger, ignoring the minor twang from the mark on her shoulder.

Picking up the kunai and replacing her pillow, Sakura walked to her bathroom spinning the kunai around her finger.

_'I'm basically on probation now right? So what the crap am I gonna do all day every day for the next couple of weeks?'_ Sasuke's visit last night popped into her head and the offers he made along with it,

_'**So you really going to do it?'** _

_'Inner? I don't know what I'm going to do. Any ideas?' _

**_'I'm your inner personality Outer, not your heart. But as your Inner personality and having the awesome advice that I do! I say you should make a list!'_**

_'A… list?' _

**_'Yes! A list!' _**

_'What _kind_ of list Inner?' _

**_'What? … OH! Yeah! A list where you organize your thoughts weighing the pros and cons of each choice you could follow, how it affects you, your friends, your life, and your future. You should carefully label each and every thing that could go wrong, or right. You should think of all the benefits for yourself and all the things that could make it worse.'_**

_'Holy Crap, Inner.' _

**_'What?! Did I forget something?' _**

_'NO… It's just that…. That is one of the most well thought out intelligent things you've ever said. Plus it's the longest thing you've ever said without swearing.' _

**_'I'm rude, not stupid Outer.'_**

_'Well it's a good idea. Thanks!' _

**_'No problem! Just remember don't name names on your list and don't let anyone see it. You've got a month remember? Be thorough.'_**

_'Good idea… Maybe I should go see Naruto…'_

**_'Yeah! Go see the knucklehead! Maybe get some ramen? You didn't eat last night and it's about 10 now. I'm hungry, shannaro!'_**

****

_'Heh, okay Inner. You sound like Naruto now. We spend too much time around him.' _

**_'Maybe.'_**

****

Sakura grinned at her Inner self and finished getting ready for the day, heading out to look for her favorite blonde teammate.

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Sakura for some reason was surprised when she didn't find Naruto at Ichiraku but at the park. He was eating yes, but not Ramen.

The Loud-mouthed ninja was sitting in a park with the petite Hyuuga heiress eating something actually healthy. It looked green and leafy.

Had Hinata actually managed to convince Naruto the Ramen addict to eat a **_Salad_**?!

They didn't look very private so Sakura decided she had to go and poke just a _little_ fun at him. Walking forward Sakura interlocked her fingers behind her back and smiled widely.

"You amaze me Hinata-chan."Hinata looked up confused and then seeing Sakura's mischievous grin, smiled as well.

Quickly hiding the smile Hinata asked innocently,

"What about me amazes you Sakura-chan?" Naruto looked up sourly and glared, telling Sakura to say _nothing,_

Sakura just grinned and plopped into the seat next to Naruto and wrapped a arm around his neck,

"That you got Naruto to eat something part of the other three main food groups."

"SAKURA-CHYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!! That was mean! Ramen is part of more then one food group!" Sakura gave Naruto a flat look once had started trying to shove her arm off of him,

"Its water, noodles, and artificial flavorings. It is pure sodium."

"Noooooo! You be nice to my Ramen! Plus there are vegetables in it! Those are a different food group!" Sakura thought for a moment and then nodded,

"I suppose. But still, you don't need to eat that much ramen its not good for you."

"I agree with Sakura-chan Naruto-kun. That's why I made you promise to eat what I brought you." Hinata smiled and Naruto blushed lightly before enveloping her in a hug,

"N-Naruto-kun?!"

"Thanks for worrying about me Hinata-chan." Sakura smiled as Hinata's eyes widened and then drifted closed as she smiled and hugged him back,

"You're welcome." Sakura squirmed a little feeling once again like an intruder.

Sakura stood and waving a small bye to the happy couple set off to the ramen bar. Despite the lecture she had just given Naruto on how bad Ramen 24/7 was for your health, Sakura felt the need for some of the 'world famous' Ichiraku Miso Ramen.

Sakura sat at the old stool and ordering her Ramen spun around and leaned back on the counter looking out in between the mall flaps that covered the open stand. Sakura's eyes landed on two red glowing objects in a tree and her mouth dropped open,

_'Is he serious?' _

**_'Is he fucking stupid or something?! At his chakra level and with his eyes spying on us in a tree?! The curse seal _must_ make you retarded in the head or something! I mean really! Who wouldn't see that?!'_**

_'If he gets himself caught it is not our fault.' _

_'Seriously! Shannaro! It'll be his own damn fault too! I know! Glare at him and then ignore him! It'll piss him off!' _

_'Heh, I like how you think Inner.' _

_'Duh, it's exactly how you do.' _

Sakura mentally rolled her eyes at Inner Sakura and then shooting the most deadly glare she could manage at Sasuke she held back the urge to laugh as she practically saw his eyebrow raise in question. With another glare and a small sniff in disdain, Sakura spun around on the seat and rested her arms on the counter to await her ramen. Sakura allowed herself a small smirk of amusement as Inner Sakura rolled around on the ground, laughing, at Sasuke's reaction to her glare.

Normally it wouldn't have amused Sakura this much to simply glare at Sasuke, but she wanted revenge for his actions last night and the best way she could think of was to screw with him.

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****

**_-10 days later or so. Whatever, its later, deal with it. I'm not a genius I can't decide how long it's been!-_**

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Knowing full well that Sasuke was watching her every move from now on, Sakura enjoyed herself, looking the epitome of happiness, smiling at Ayame and her father whenever she was at Ichiraku, and laughing with fellow ninja.

Before long she was alone, Sakura knew Sasuke wouldn't stick around longer then the week he promised, but a little part of her hoped. Deciding she needed to beat her depression she heading for the hospital. Stopping momentarily Sakura's face lit up with a serene smile and she turned to her left heading to Ino's flower shop,

**_'What the crap are you doing Sakura?' _**

_'Visiting the hospital. Just because I'm not allowed to be a medic-nin doesn't mean I should shun my patients. So I'm going to get some flowers from Ino's shop and make some friendly visits.'_

****

**_'You are too good for your own good.'_**

_'I know, but you are too rude. We balance out.' _

****

**_'I'm not rude! I'm just awesome!'_**

_'Of course, Inner.'_

Sakura arrived at the flower shop and bought a small bouquet from a red-haired girl Sakura had never met before. Sakura waved a good bye to the young girl and once again made her way back to the hospital.

Sakura hummed a light tune as she entered the large drive of the hospital. About halfway from the gate and the entrance something was slammed into her left side. Sakura swore loudly and angrily as she was sent shooting off into the air and landed with the large object on top of her.

Not a moment later a loud explosion was heard and covering her face quickly, she and the object were showered with small debris and a cloud of dirt. Another explosion was heard a distance off. Sakura opened her eyes and saw crimson red staring back at her,

"Sasuke-kun?! What the hell are you doing here? What's going on?" The red faded from his eyes and he looked over his shoulder and then back at her,

"You are being attacked. Don't die." Sakura froze as he quickly pressed his lips to hers and then he was gone.

Sakura stood up the flowers forgotten as the terrified screams of villagers met her ears and looking where she had been standing about 40 feet way there was now a shallow 5-foot wide smoldering crater. There were several more explosions and gasping Sakura whipped around to see her village covered in smoke,

"Oh my god… WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!" Sakura never got a reply as another explosion happened and she streaked off to the center of town where the main ruckus seemed to be happening.

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****

**Bundyangel: **I actually wanted this chapter out a day or 4 ago but I was getting no inspiration. My pandas failed me, as did Cari. LOSER!

**Cari:** DO your stupid notes and leave me alone! –Emo-

**Bundyangel:** Yeah yeah whatever. Anyway thanks to everyone for reviewing and reading. I do appreciate it. Well only about 2 maybe 3 chapters left then ill go onto part 2 of my series I'm excited I'm gonna try and show a aspect of the SasuSaku relationship I've rarely if ever read. I'm excited! Well don't forget to review!

Makes me button and I very happy. Specially Mr. button. It's the only action he gets being a button.


	10. Ch10:Control isn't All it Seems

**Bundyangel:** Umm… Hi? OH CRAP-NUGGETS!! –Dodges sharp objects thrown- I'm SORRY! Okay?! Really! I have no real excuse! I've been focusing on my art, and my friends. Plus I got a boyfriend. Leave me alone. –Emo's-

Okay more details. I've been trying to "build up a following" on Deviantart. I'm starting to draw a doujin; I've been focusing on my drawings. I also put out another story (for those of you that watch me you already know that). Things have not been altogether good lately. One of my best friends moved away and things at school started self-combusting so I was skipping a lot. Then my grades started slipping and I've got my mom and teachers breathing down my back. Okay? I'm busy.

Some good things though, I got a locker (I've been lugging around 50 pounds in two bags for the past 5 months. Textbooks SUCK) I'm going to sign up for my student council. And I've got a choir concert coming up (2 solo's hell yes. It's a different one from my other chapter) so I'm really very sorry okay? School gets out on the 15th and I've got two days of finals before that.

Enough of my jabbering. Here are the reviewers since my last update:

**emo uzumaki**

**Chronos Spirit**

**Confuzzled239**

**ninja-kyoko**

**larsha**

**Acentha1022**

**-my-name-is-V-**

**seguha**

**my lil' cherry blossom**

**Mrs Weasel-Fan**

**Lady Hasumi Takarabe**

**Kist**

**Bee-Leaf86**

**Propertyoftheuchiha**

**divine lies x3**

**southernthang**

**SerenityXFantasy**

HOSHIT can we say ohmigod? 17 reviews… 17.

…………………………………

-Dies, just dies. –

Okay before we get any further into the story there's something id like to address. I got a review from Kist. Kist gave me a lengthy review that gave me some questions I really had to ask myself. Here's the review:

_You really have to be careful that you judge Sakura's character correctly. Do you honestly believe she is the type of person to let this "curse" hold her back and make an irrational dicison which could ruin her life? What about Naruto and thier promise to bring Sasuke back? How could she betray everything she has ever worked for and all the people she loves just for a childhood fantasy and a death wish? She is not stupid. Yes, she wants control, but she doesn't want someone to control her. Maybe she'll be able to convinve Sasuke, or not. Is Sakura living from day to day or is she seeking more, a home, a place to relax and be herself, friends, a family, even love (NOT lust)._

In the end we all choose our own fate. The world doesn't wait for us. We make it happen.

(NejixSakura all the way! - seems for this fic as a more meaningful and permantent relationship)

keep in mind that you do have readers and the outcome has the potential to make an impact.

Best of luck whatever you do!

I don't think the response to that warranted a simple "Review reply" Because this is something I want to address and explain. Maybe clear this up for not only Kist but also anyone else who questions my writings but doesn't review.

Kist, this is kind of a "is the cup half empty or half full?" scenario. I may or may not be putting Sakura's personality and actions out of character for her. You have to look at it differently then just an observer. This yes is her life but its been drastically changed. She has a curse seal dearest. A very powerful one. One she _can't_ control. I know she isn't the type of person to let this curse seal hold her back but lots of things are happening at this point in time. She meets Sasuke again, she gets offered a place in sound, and she's also feeling left out by all the couples in Konoha. Sakura has never been one to control her emotions very well and this seal isn't helping any.

Naruto and their promise? What about it? It becomes irrelevant if Sakura decides to go with Sasuke. That would simply be a promise to allow Naruto to take Sasuke away from her. I don't think Sakura's love is a "childhood fantasy" If you do so much for one person then you most likely have more then a delusional dream running through your head.

Even if she goes to Orochimaru, she is going of her own free will. Sakura isn't the type of person to allow anyone to control her, especially Orochimaru. If she goes, she goes to learn. Not to become a puppet. Right now Sakura is living day to day. That is the way of a shinobi's life. Even if Sakura truly wanted a home and a family, there's a good chance in her line of work that she wont get it.

I completely agree. That's why Sakura will make this choice herself. She may choose to stay in Konoha and possibly become a civilian or she could go to Orochimaru and risk being betrayed again. No one knows ('cept me P).

I'm most likely going to write a NejiSaku story. I seem to have a knack at it apparently.

I keep in mind I have readers all the time. I write this for all of the SasuSaku shippers. I write this _to_ have an impact. I want readers to read and go all 'wha… ?! Is she crazy? What is going on with them?!' And wonder what goes on in my brain. I live for responses like that. But thanks for such an awesome review!

'Kay I'm done. XD

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_**Disclaimer:**_ I've chatted enough for one chapter. I don't own anything. I'm doing this because I'm a Narutard okay? Don't friggen sue me.

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"Baaaka"- regular speech

'_Baaaka'_-thoughts, flashbacks, and italics

'_**Baaaka!'**_- Inner self's

The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III

Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 10: Control isn't all it's cracked up to be.

By Bundyangel

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Sakura ran as fast as she possibly could toward the center of Konoha, her mind blocking out the startled screams and crackling of fire as she focused on her path and the sound of clashing metal and voices calling our several different jutsu. One thing though burrowed its way through her mind, past the adrenalin and whirling emotions to settle deep and make its self know. A scream by a random villager running away from the battles,

"Cloud! It's Cloud! They've attacked! This could be the end!"

Sakura growled and took to jumping to the roofs, ignoring the probation Tsunade put on her. They would need all the shinobi they could get their hands on,

'_You think we can do this right now Inner?'_

'_**Hells yeah.'**_

'_What about the seal?'_

'_**Don't worry about it. I'll watch it. I'll warn you if you're pushing it too much. Last thing I want is for you to go funny again.'**_

'_Thanks Inner.'_

'_**No prob.'**_

Reassured with the boundary of Inner Sakura's watchful eye, Sakura observed her surroundings as she entered the inner city of Konoha.

There were fires roaring over buildings and loud clang of kunai on kunai and kunai to other metals. Every now and again there would be a stream of fire, or a loop of a water dragon as shinobi battle each other ruthlessly. Sakura channeled chakra and crouched down to propel herself high into the air to reach the top of a nearby building.

Springing upward she was soon soaring through the air when some sort of jutsu was roared and cutting winds shoved Sakura to the side and slammed her roughly into the side of the building. Grunting with pain she pulled out four kunai and threw them out at the cloud shinobi attacking her. Doing a flip as she fell, Sakura landed on the ground and quickly pulled on her black gloves. The cloud ninja jumped down to stand in front of her about twenty feet away.

Clenching her fists Sakura channeled chakra to her legs and fists and ran at the shinobi, her fist pulled back evenly with her shoulder. The man smirked,

"Silly little girl. You think you can beat me with a fist?" Sakura smirked and called out,

"Of course not. But a chakra infused one will work just fine!" Sakura slid to a stop a few feet away from the man and slammed her fist to the ground, effectively breaking it into a huge crater and shaking the foundations of nearby buildings.

The surprised shinobi jumped back and made fast hand signs calling out, 'Wind style: billowing slash!' He lifted his right arm across to his opposite shoulder and jerked it down to his right hip in a diagonal line.

Sakura crossed her arms in front of her and braced hard and the rippling winds cut at her body and pushed her backward. Growling Sakura pulled out a kunai and held it in her left hand, running at the cloud shinobi yelling loudly,

"I don't have time for this or you!!!" Sakura punched the ground again with her right fist and leaped after the cloud shinobi as he leapt up.

Her lips thinned as she grabbed the front of his shirt and tugged him down. Slamming an elbow to the back of his head, she sent him sailing to the ground and threw the kunai after him. She heard the loud squelch of kunai hitting flesh and knowing that if he wasn't dead he was unconscious, Sakura turned and jumped off again looking for her friends.

--- --- --- --- --- ---

Sakura saw Kakashi fighting fiercely with a cloud shinobi and headed for them, determined to help in any way. Sakura gasped when Kakashi appeared in front of her, facing away and made fast hand seals, while speaking to her,

"Sakura. I'll be fine. Go help the others, they can use it." Sakura nodded a quick fine before turning and jumping off again.

Behind her she heard the faint call of a water technique and felt the water molecules move through the air as she scanned the area for her friends once more. After a minute she heard faint barking and followed the sound. She came across Kiba and Ino fighting back to back with Akamaru running around and destroying shinobi clones as they fought. Seeing as they were both already wounded Sakura did the only thing she could think of. Clenching her right fist she raised it and started running forward. As she neared them she yelled out loudly,

"JUMP!!!" Ino, and Kiba turned quickly and looked at her, they then, along with Akamaru, jumped high into the air.

Sakura grinned and gave a low roar before smashing her fist into the ground cracking it widely and making a big deep crater. There were several puffs of smoke and three blurs as the originals jumped out of the crater and landed, pulling out katana's. Kiba and Ino landed on either side of her and Akamaru skidded to stand and growl lowly in front of them. Ino laughed quietly,

"Nice timing forehead." Sakura laughed back,

"Of course, Pig. I'm going to be the one to beat you. Not some random shinobi." Kiba gave harsh bark like laugh and shifted down cracking his fingers,

"This is starting to piss me off, lets finish it. " Both girls' murmured quick agreements and pulling out weapons they ran at the cloud shinobi.

Ino took the one to the left and they jumped off clashing kunai, and Kiba took the center one, they immediately started in a physical blows match and so Sakura swerved and head for the smirking one on the right. The strange man laughed at her as they began their taijutsu match,

"So you're it huh?" Sakura frowned and attempted to rip out his throat with her kunai before responding,

"I'm what?!" The guy laughed and punched at her before dropping down to sweep her legs out from under her. Sakura rolled away and got to her feet as he stabbed the ground with a kunai she had been not a moment before,

"You're the infamous weakling of team 7. The so-called apprentice to the female Hokage, the legendary sucker, Tsunade." Sakura became engulfed in fury and punched a chakra fist at the rambling cloud invader,

"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!" The guy simply laughed and evaded the punch,

"Oh sweetheart, but I do. Do you think we cloud shinobi, simply ran in without _any_ information? You'd be sadly mistaken then. We were briefed for all the possible shinobi that could cause problems. Cloud has been collecting information on all of you for _years_." Sakura ignored him and reaching into her kunai pouch threw a volley of shuriken and kunai at him,

"You've been misinformed then! I'm the infamous medic-nin of team 7! The only member to become Chuunin and full apprentice of the Goudaime Hokage, the legendary sannin, Tsunade! And the kunoichi about to kick your ass!" Sakura channeled chakra and shot at him forming hand seals,

"Shōsen Jutsu!" Sakura struck her arm out trying to cause the ninja physical damage with the chakra scalpel now encasing her hand,

"Shit!" The shinobi jumped back and grasped at one of his forearms,

"Stupid bitch! You'll pay for that!" Sakura rushed at him again,

"Pompous ass! I'd love to see you try!" Sakura shoved her chakra scalpel forward and stared when she hit wood, a replacement.

"Damn." Sakura froze when she felt the cold metal of a kunai at her throat,

"Yeah, so much for your titles huh? I guess my description was more accurate. Seeya babe." Sakura ran through her thoughts trying to think of a plan when a loud bark and growling was heard,

"What the fuck?!"

'_Akamaru! Thank god.' _The kunai was pulled from her throat and Sakura jumped away and took a breath to gather herself.

She didn't have long when the shinobi was on her again battling with a kunai in each hand. Sakura gritted her teeth and summoned her chakra scalpels again and set to work trying to defeat this enemy,

"You got lucky, girl. But that mutt wont save you a second time, cause next time he does he's dead!" Sakura helt her arms start to shake with surpressed fury,

"There wont be a nexttime! Because this is over now!!!" Sakura rushed full speed at him with her fists. He smirked and took a stance,

"Weve don't this before little girl! Your fists alone wont work against me!" Sakura roared and jumped into the air. Her body arched back and she dimly heard Inner Sakura in her mind,

'_**Stupid seal, Shannaro! Check yourself Sakura! It's good for now, but watch your emotions. Don't let the fucking bastard get to you.' **_Sakura gritted her teeth and swung her fist down at his face, the normal blue chakra now a darker vague indigo, hinting at the chakra she could have unleashed,

The shinobi jumped back and Sakura landed on the ground and ran lowly at him. He took a step back and gasped as his eyes widened. There was a gasp and a loud wet sound as he stumbeled forward and grasped his lower back. He pulled his hand forward and saw it covered in crimson blood. He half stumbeled, turning around with his eys wide. He stared into the viridian gaze of Sakura and a a bloody kunai in her right hand,

"W-What? How!?" Sakura dropped the kunai a her feet and took a few steps forward,

"Turn around." Theres was a loud pop and the cloud ninja turned to see a cloud of smoke dissapaiting. He coughed and looked at the real Sakura,

"How?! W-When did you make a clone? How did I not sense you?!" Sakura kept walking forward as the shinobi stumbeled backward,

"When I did my Shōsen Jutsu, You've never seen the hand seals for that before. You didn't know only about half of those were for my chakra scalpel and the others were for a clone. As for not sensing it?" Sakura shrugged,

"I'm a medic ninja. I have the most perfect control of chakra around. You couldn't sense it if you were told to." His gaze widened even more and Sakura reached down pulling up his fallen katana,

"Good bye." Sakura threw the katana forward and it peirced his chest. Sakura turned as he fell and saw Ino staring at her mouth agap, as Kiba tried to tend to one of Akamarus deeper wounds.

Without a word, Sakura walked forward and kneeled next to Akamaru. Holding her hands over him, they became encased in a vibrant green chakra, and the wounds started to heal.

Ino stood off to the side and looked from Sakura to the dead ninja to Kiba to Sakura and then back again. Finally she gave a frustrated roar and pulled at her ponytail,

"What the hell was that Haruno?!" Sakura looked up surprised and then realization dawned on her,

"Oh."

"Oh? _OH?!_ Don't give me that Sakura what was up with you?! You've never just shoved a katana through someones chest and then gone and acted like nothings happened! What was that?" Sakura bowed her head and pulled her hands back as Akamaru finished healing,

"That was me being the shinobi I am Ino. He threatened to kill Akamaru, and I made sure he wont be able to." Kiba kneeled down next to Sakura and scratched the back of his head,

"As much as both Akamaru and I appreciate that Sakura, that was just a little too cold hearted for you." Sakura stood up sighing harshly and brushed her palms against her skirt,

"I guess I'm just taking my job seriously now. Come on. The battle isnt done and others need us." Sakura jumped onto a roof and headed out to look for more friends as she argued with Inner Sakura in her mind,

'_**That was too close Sakura! Don't let some ass get to you like that. Especially not now. We need to focus on saving Konoha, not on the seal.'**_

'_You were watching it, so its fine. It didn't get out of hand so theres no problem.'_

'_**It is a problem Sakura! What if I cant contain it? What will you do then?'**_

'_I'll just deal with it okay?! He was going to hurt Akamaru! Are y7ou saying I shouldn't stan up for my friends and protect them?'_

'_**That's not what I said! I am saying just be careful. I cant talk to you when it activates and that scares me.'**_

'_What do you mean?'_

'_**When it was activating earlier you could barely hear me. Once it fully activates, I cant help you. Its like a barrier between me and your outer concious.'**_

'_Wow. I'm sorry Inner.'_

'_**Yeah me too.'**_ Sakura didn't say another word but continued on in the search for her friends.

Before long Sakura reached the Hokage tower, and most of the action. Sakura wove her way through the debris and made it to the balcony on top of the tower. Tsunade was fine. ANBU wasn't letting any shinobi near her. She was under heavy guard on top of the tower worried, and stressing over not being able to fight. After a quick identification with the ANBU Sakura made her way in, and ran to her teacher,

"Tsunade-Shinshou!" Sakura stopped next to Tsunade and bowed. Tsunade turned and gasping enveloped Sakura in a hug,

"Sakura! You're all right. Thank god." She drew back and observed the scuffs marks, the dirt and the small cuts adorning Sakura's body,

"You were fighting. Damn it Sakura! I put you on probation! That's directly going against my orders." Sakura looked down,

"But, we're being attacked. We need all the able bodied fighters we have. I've already taken down two shinobi with no incident as well as healing Akamaru." Tsunade sighed and walking a small distance away pinched the bridge of her nose,

"As much as I appreciate your concern for this village you should have thought more carefully before you reacted. Sakura, what if something had happened? What if the seal had activated? What if you had become blind from the power? You could have hurt someone and not realized it or had any control over it. Probation isn't just to punish you for the seal or whatever you seem to think it is. Its for both your safety and the villages." DO you understand now Sakura?" Tsunade took a step back toward her, and Sakura nodded,

"Yes Tsunade-Shinshou. However, I think you underestimate my control. I'm sorry but ill have to disobey your orders again." Sakura bowed lightly and turning jogged to the end of the railing before stepping up on it and taking a deep breath, Tsunade choked on a breath at the same time.

"Sakura?! What are you doing?!" Sakura just smiled over her shoulder before crouching lower on the railing and springing off it like a cat. She called up loudly as she plummeted to the ground,

"I'm going to go save my city and my friends! Don't worry Shinshou I'll be careful!" Whatever response Tsunade made, Sakura didn't hear it as she turned and focused on the ground, Inner Sakura going crazy,

'_**ARE YOU FUCKING MENTAL?! How the hell do you plan to survive this?!!?!?? You're going to fucking kill us all!!! OH MY GOD!!'**_

'_You'll see.'_ Sakura grinned as she neared the ground and she forced chakra beneath her to slow down.

As she sped toward the ground she was suddenly slammed into by a hard body and arms wrapped around her,

"Tch. Annoying. Are you trying to die?" Sakura grinned internally at Sasuke's deep voice faintly lined with worry and she shrugged as they soared through the air towards a clump of trees,

"But you like me that way Sasuke. So it's okay." He expelled a small breath,

"Hn. I said to be careful, not kill yourself at the first opportunity." Sakura laughed,

"Well… I'm fine now aren't I?" Sasuke landed in a tall tree and set Sakura on her feet before staring at her,

"Hn. Don't do it again." Before Sakura could reply he was gone.

Shrugging Sakura pulled out a kunai and jumped out of the tree and ran again. Racing down a few streets she heard words oh so familiar,

"Dattebayo!" Relieved Sakura ran for the voice and skidded to a top in time to see one of her worst fears.

A cloud shinobi stood with a katana at chest height, but the tip was pierced through the chest of the blonde loudmouth. Sakura felt tears well in her eyes as the katana twisted and pulled out and he fell to his knees and then landed face first on the ground. Sakura felt frozen and couldn't seem to move or breath. She came to her consciousness once the shinobi spun the katana around and brought it downward at Naruto's back. Two kunoichi screamed out at the same time,

"**NARUTO!!!" **

The silver gazed one ran the shinobi and incinerated the inner organs of the shinobi before the katana made contact. The viridian gazed one clutched her stomach with one hand and her mark with the other as marks burst from her shoulder and covered her neck and left arm. Dark pink chakra began licking the air around the pink kunoichi and she fell to her knees staring at the pool of blood growing around her best male friend.

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**Bundyangel: **Well there you have chapter 10. Once again I'm really sorry for the long update and the long introduction to this chapter.

I've had such bad writers block its not even funny. I've worked on this chapter wince 6 this morning and its 8:37 now. Okay? I've tried really hard.

I also apologize for any spelling or grammatical mistakes. I also apologize if the fight scenes sucked. I'm good **at **them I'm just bad at getting them **out**.

So yeah. I love reviews! See ya in the next chapter. Part one will prolly only have 2 more chapters!


	11. Ch11: The Ones Closest to You Hurt Most

**Bundyangel: **Okay. Before we throw crack pairing plushies or sharp objects at me, let me get some things out.

I'm lazy.

I just am. And so I've decided not to make excuses anymore, and I'm not going to apologize for not updating. I have writers block, but I also think I'm scared of ending my first full-length story. (Prolly cause I haven't planned ANY of part II –cough cough-)) I've also taken on another fic of just kind of fluff and crap that just lets me get out my cute ideas.

If you like a jealous Sasuke and a Sakura out on a mission to find a new love and make Sasuke jealous in the process _'Loving Other People' _is totally your story –thumbs up and smiles- No worries, its completely a sasusaku.

Another thing you all should be kind of aware of, my parents are getting divorced, so I'm highly emotional right now and I have no problem taking your review, setting you on fire with it and then making fun of you in the next chapter of my story.

So yeah, before I angst on yall anymore lets move along shall we? Here are the reviewers from the last chapter!

**fruitsbasketangel**

**ninja-kyoko**

**xUchihaYumix**

**Mrs Weasel-fan**

**Acentha1022**

**Chronos Spirit**

**Kist**

**-my-name-is-V-**

**seguha**

**kawaiixsakura**

You all rock my socks and I cant thank you enough for reviewing! I love reviews, though I've been weird lately and not really responding to reviews.

Sorry bout that. ONWARD HO!

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_**Disclaimer:**_

**Me:** All right I suppose I'll-...

-Shino steps from the shadows. -

**Shino:** Bundyangel-san does not own anything in the Naruto series. She does not claim ownership to it and she claims nothing.

-Shino leaves. Bundyangel blinks. -

**Me:** Uhh… Thanks Shino! On to the story!

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"Baaaka"- regular speech

'_Baaaka'_-thoughts, flashbacks, and italics

_Baaaka_-Inner Sakura's world

'_**Baaaka!'**_- Inner self's

The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III

Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 11: The ones closest to you hurt most

By Bundyangel

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_It is quiet here…_

Looking around Sakura saw a vivid white place. There seemed no end to the brilliance and Sakura knew that even if she tried she would never find the exit to the purely tainted place. An unseen wind played lightly with her hair and clothes, making her palms cold as it whispered by, carrying with it light refrains and notes of a quiet lullaby.

Sakura felt like the wind and music blowing by her head, a lifeless immortal unfeeling being that was adored and untouchable. It was what she wanted, the love that was given, but not the pain that was forced with it as in the precarious human world.

Finally noticing the temperature change in her hands, Sakura lifted the numbed appendages to eye level and blinked at the crimson liquid clinging to the grooves and pads that identified her as the human she wished no longer to be.

As she stared at the red liquid running in tiny rivulets down her arms, the expanse around her shifted to a stormy gray and shattered into a million broken shards of reflective glass. Sakura continued to stare unfeeling at her hands, standing on nothing and everything at the same time.

Slowly her body started to dissolve into the wind she yearned to be and she closed her eyes in acceptance and lowered her arms, the last strains of music coming to her ears before it disappeared unheard once again.

Sakura stood strait in a fuchsia colored chakra bubble, unhearing to the screams, and unfeeling to the pain. Looking around with unknown to her, golden yellow eyes, Sakura stared at the various faces of her friends, comrades, and strangers she had seen briefly before. Sakura was curious why they looked so scared. It was quiet. The sun was turning the land a faint pink, and everything was peaceful.

Just like the expanse from her vision the bubble cracked and fell with small shimmers of blue and pink chakra. Sakura winced as the sounds of the world came to her temporarily muted ears.

An angry chakra lunged at her and not caring in the lightest, Sakura lifted a hand and caught the shinobi around the throat in midair, squeezing tightly. Sakura stared in fascination as the dark marks danced happily along her skin, and the shinobi she held in her tight grip scratched wildly at her arms, attempting to break from her merciless hold. Sakura continued to look at her arm, watching as the deep cuts the cloud man caused healed seconds after being created, leaving not one mark.

Another shinobi yelled something that sounded unreal to Sakura's ears and lunged at her in the same manner as the first man. In the same way as before, Sakura grasped this mans throat and instead of simply holding his airways shut, pulled him close to her curse-blemished face. Staring at him with unblinking golden eyes Sakura smiled lightly. Whispering lightly so only he could hear, the mans eyes grew in terror and hatred,

"_A thousand crystal tears for you, its what you'd wish. A thousand tears of blood are what your death shall be. But here is a kiss for you on your way._" Tightening her grip momentarily, Sakura kissed the man's cheek before effortlessly throwing him to her right, into a cement wall and through into the next one.

A woman screamed and many stared in terror or began crying as they saw the mangled and destroyed body of the former cloud shinobi, now a dead corpse. Many screamed again as Sakura raised her other hand, still clutching the now blue faced and dead man, and thoughtlessly tossed him after his comrade before turning and locking her eyes on the crimson pool of blood, that used to be her best male friend,

"_Naruto… I'm sorry I didn't come in time…_" Few caught the whispered words, and they blinked in confusion.

Naruto was standing about ten feet to the left of where he had fallen, restrained from running at Sakura by several shinobi. Even so, he was dragging them along, attempting to get to her again,

"LET ME GO DAMN YOU ALL! SAKURA NEEDS ME! CAN'T YOU ALL SEE THAT?!?! SHES REACTING THAT WAY BECAUSE SHE THINKS I'M DEAD! LET ME GO CALM HER DOWN!!!" Another two shinobi grabbed onto Naruto's arms and effectively held him back.

--- ---

'_**GODDAMN IT ALL!!!!!! I fucking told you Sakura! I TOLD YOU!' **__Inner Sakura kicked at the purple tinted marble wall in the inner sanctum of Sakura Haruno's mind. The place where Inner Sakura dwelled, and the curse mark rested._

_Inner Sakura growled and made her body bigger, clenching a dark fist and punching at the wall. A rippling effect seemed to go out from the wall and suddenly it twisted. The wall began moving slowly, changing shape till it became hundreds of purple tinted white snakes with yellow eyes, entwining and slithering, flickering out black tongues or flashing white teeth in a mock of Inner Sakura's attempts to get through and help her human counterpart._

''_**It's no Good, Inner Sakura.''**_

_Inner Sakura swung around to see a translucent blue version of Outer Sakura curled up in the corner of the room they were sealed in. Propping a hand on her hip, Inner Sakura scowled at the little person,_

'_**Who the hell are you?' **__The figure looked up,_

''_**I'm Outer Sakura's consciousness.''**__ Inner Sakura blinked a moment,_

'… _**Huh?' **__The blue Sakura sighed again,_

''_**I'm who talks to you through Sakura. When you have arguments with Sakura in here. It's actually me you're talking to. Outer Sakura can't really communicate with you. Generally I'm merged with her being, and that's why neither of you know I exist.'' **__Inner Sakura blinked in confusion,_

'_**So… Why are you here?'**_

''_**The curse seal. It really is the reason you can't communicate with Outer Sakura. Because, Once it takes control, it takes my place and forces me in here, basically switching our positions.''**_

'_**Well, that sucks.'**_

''_**Yes, It does.''**_

'_**So… Now what?' **__Consciousness smirked,_

''_**We wait till the opportune moment, then we kick the barrier the seal's made ass.'' **__Inner Sakura smirked and punched a fist upward,_

'_**SHANNARO! I like the way you think Consciousness! Hells yeah!!!'**_

--- ---

Sakura lifted her calm eyes from the blood; the once dead depths now firm in a hard resolve. Slowly, Sakura bent down and with one hand picked up a fallen katana. Straitening again, Sakura lifted her free hand and brushed some bangs out of her yellow gaze. As soon as her hands lowered to its original position, she disappeared.

To the north about half a mile there were loud, mostly masculine screams and it continued traveling in a circle around the border of the city in a firm pace. Many of the people in the streets cried and curse, asking what the hell was going on. There were only a few amazed and horrified faces.

A few sets of Byakugan one and a half of Sharingan and a few practiced in chakra detecting, following the erratic streaming path of one distraught unfeeling girl, trying to save what was left of her village.

A microphone headset crackled, and two well-cultured voices conversed before it was shut off and two Byakugan users ran to the center of the village under siege.

By this time almost all civilians had been evacuated, and a special ops team was working on salvaging the homes of those defenseless, now long gone.

The blonde Goudaime stood on the top of her tower, fists clenched powerfully around the railing on the balcony overlooking her village, unable to do anything. Watching painfully as her shinobi fought the invaders and her people's homes were set alight, the fire blazing dangerously in a painful reminder of how they were _never_ safe.

After the last attack the village suffered, and the death of the 3rd Hokage. The council had decided that in the future if they were under siege and the Hokage was not needed, he or she was to be kept out of enemy reach and well guarded by high level ANBU captains and the highest level of ANBU black ops.

Tsunade felt tears slip down her cheeks as she saw the blur of red and pink that was her apprentice. She had lied. She couldn't control it, and even if now she was trying to do good, she was accomplishing horrid deeds. Things Tsunade would never ask or demand of the green-eyed kunoichi.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes in disappointment, the Sharingan flawlessly following Sakura's every move, as she ran around killing the cloud shinobi in brutal and often times grotesque ways. He didn't want Sakura scared to sound. He didn't want her there because she was afraid Konoha would look at her in disgust and distrust or fear. He wanted her there because she chose to come, feeling it best to take his offer.

He was disappointed in her lack of control. Sure, as much as he wished it didn't, the sight of Naruto dead might unnerve him a little, but he would never let the curse seal take over his mind so completely.

At the moment, Sakura was not even thinking of how the shinobi died, as long as they did. If they could never come back to harm her village, Sakura didn't care how it happened.

Sakura had been at it for at least half an hour, the marks going down her right leg, the last place to be unblemished. Sakura in her unfeeling state didn't realize the passing of the marks or how they had almost taken over. All she registered in her curse-clouded mind was that she needed to make things safe again. No matter what.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I had been almost an hour before Sakura had circled the rim of Konoha, pushing the frightened cloud shinobi towards the center and the beginning of her assault.

Two pale, dark haired ninja stood poised and ready for what needed to be done. Neji was angry and concerned that Sakura had not listened deeper to his words, though he did not show it. Hinata was scared and worried for her friend, hurt that this was what had become of one of her good friends,

"Be strong Hinata-sama. No matter what, stick to what I told you. This is to save her." Hinata squared her shoulders and nodded,

"Hai, Neji-nii-san. For Sakura." Both house heirs stood side by side, Blood trait activated, following Sakura's every move even more closely then the Sharingan could hope for.

Sakura ran at them, hair and clothes pushed against her body and away from her face and she ran with incredible speed at them, her arms held lightly aloft at her sides, running in the standard shinobi pose, yet with the greatest of shinobi speeds.

Sakura stopped on a dim in front of them, looking them over quickly, yellow glazed eyes lingered on the headbands and Konoha's distinct symbols. She blinked at them slowly before shifting backwards and shooting forward again.

As soon as the shift took place, Neji and Hinata braced themselves and hooked their arms out, and with a bone jarring pull, caught each of Sakura's arms. Hinata wrapped bath arms around Sakura's left arm and held on tight; Neji grabbed her right elbow and wrist holding on equally as tight.

Sakura attempted to keep running, simply pulling away but their just as superior chakra control held them fast to ground, unyielding and determined to keep her in place. When that didn't work, Sakura shifted her weight and attempt to pull backwards, but that too, failed. Neji growled lowly, and Hinata clamped tighter onto Sakura's cursed arm,

"Stop it Sakura! You have done enough! Calm down, and collect yourself before you do something rash or unforgivable!" Sakura looked to Neji with a cool calm gaze,

"_I am calm, and collected. I need for you to let me go so I may finish my job, and make sure that this village is safe._" Hinata shook her head,

"No, Sakura-san! You aren't! Haven't you seen what you've done? You've killed at least a hundred shinobi. In less then 2 hours! Please Stop Sakura-san. Come back to the way you were before! Naruto isn't dead! he's fine! Kyuubi healed him. It's you who are hurt at the moment! So please stop!" Sakura settled her cloudy golden gaze on Hinata's silvery one,

"_You. You don't understand do you? I saw Naruto be pierced through the chest with a katana. Don't tell me what I am or what I should be. I am merely saving this village, as every shinobi should. As for the amount in time? It is nothing. We are Kunoichi, Hinata. We are trained to kill, unfeeling, merciless, and without remorse._" Hinata shook her head again fiercely,

"No! You're wrong! To be without emotions is to be dead! We are living breathing beings Sakura! We simply can't be emotionless!"

"_Let go Hinata, Neji._"

"N-no!"

"I will not."

"_I see, well. That's too bad. I apologize Hinata-san, Neji. But you have forced this out of me._" Sakura closed her eyes and lifted her left arm, pulling Hinata off the ground.

Hinata cried out lightly but held on tight, refusing to release Sakura. A stray tear trickled down Sakura's cheek as she pulled her arm close and then flung it out hard. The chakra pulsing in her arm forcing Hinata off, and shot her through the air, tumbling over before smacking into a cement building. Hinata gasped in pain and her back arched of the building as she slowly slid down it, a faint trail of blood in her wake,

"Hinata-sama!" Hinata reached the ground and slumped over sideways, coughing up blood, as her hair spilled over her face, covering her glazed eyes and blood covered chin,

Neji narrowed furious eyes at Sakura and pulled a hand back to force his organ destroying chakra into her body. As he shot his hand forward for her stomach, his hand was slapped harshly away. Neji stared surprised at Sakura, and her blank gaze. Her movements were almost unconscious reflexes; as if she didn't even realize what she did,

"_I am sorry Neji._" Sakura pulled back the hand that had just blocked his attack and before he could do anything, she pulled back her fist, concentrated her chakra and shot it forward at his face.

--- --- ---

_Sakura's consciousness had taken to concentrating her little chakra, focusing on her bond with Sakura to allow her to see what was happening. Suddenly her eyes snapped open to reveal their pale green gaze and she quickly stood running to the curse seals' barrier, making hand seals of her own,_

''_**It is time! Attack now Inner!''**__ Inner Sakura looked up surprised,_

'_**What?! OH! SHANNAROOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!' **__Inner Sakura stood strait and took her chakra to her fist running at the barrier with consciousness._

_The two inner personalities of Sakura threw their concealed and combined chakra at the barrier, the moment it went completely white and see through. Both yelled out the same time it broke into shards,_

'_**Hells yeah!!!'**__ Inner did a victory dance as consciousness disappeared and stopped the deadly fist heading for the male Hyuuga's face._

--- --- ---

Sakura's eyes shot open and her iris's grew extremely small, her fist stopping inches from Neji's face, her fist opened the chakra coating it wafting away in the breeze like a blue mist.

Sakura started trembling as her head spun around to stare at the fallen bloody heap of Hinata,

"No…" Tears gathered in her gaze as she let go of Neji and took several steps back, before collapsing to her knees.

Sakura's iris's widened again and Neji stared at her as they continuously changed between an emerald green and a golden yellow. Sakura couldn't take her eyes off of Hinata. She had done that…

She had done that to HINATA!

"Oh God!!! No! Oh god, Hinata, No! No no no no! NO! Oh dear God No!"

Sakura cried openly covering her ears with her hands, before pulling them over her face to cover her eyes as she rocked back and forth, shaking uncontrollably. Freezing suddenly, Sakura pulled her hands away from her faced and stared at them.

They were covered in blood. They were coated layer over layer over layer of that sticky sweet liquid that gave life to all beings.

Sakura's hands started shaking and she ran her hands into her hair, giving the light pink strands dark crimson highlights as she started rocking back and forth again,

"No, No. Oh God NO! Please No, Please. PLEASE!" Sakura coughed and turned, vomiting up everything that was in her stomach, into the dirt of the road.

All color left her skin, leaving it an ashy gray, making the streaks and splatters of blood even more vibrant. Sakura pulled down her hands and stared at them again, still covered in blood.

Curling them into fists as sobs shook her body and tears clogged her throat, Sakura slammed her hands into the dirt and then tipped her head back mouth open wide and eyes squeezed shut as she screamed the most loud frightened hurt scream the people of Konoha had ever heard in their lives.

Sakura screamed until the birds flew from the trees and people covered their ears.

She screamed till even Neji winced before running over to Hinata and trying to help her the best he could.

She screamed and dug her nails into the dirt hard enough to break them, and pull them back.

She screamed more and more until the marks receded on her body but her eyes turned a green and yellow color.

Sakura screamed until her throat bled and she was forced to stop and coughed up some blood before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell over unconscious.

---- ------ ---- ------ ---- ------ ---- ------ ---- ------ ---- ------ ----

**Bundyangel:** Oh yeah, I'm already expecting the hate mail. I know it got really dark, and really ugly, really really fast, but uhh… I'm twisted okay? I think this is the best chapter I've written in my life.

Please review and tell what you thought

Also I apologize for any grammatical mistakes or spelling errors. I check this myself and I don't have a beta so yeah. Spell check doesn't grab everything.

One chapter to go people!


	12. Ch12:Running Far Away From here

**Bundyangel:** -sighs dramatically-

Well here we are people. The end. The final chapter of The Ancient Curse of Love Part I of III. –Wipes a tear- you all don't even know how happy, sad, stressed, and just plain depressed this story has made me. I try to write with my emotions. I try to place myself, and you the reader, in the position and perspective to receive the most impact and emotion. I truly hope I achieved that. –Sniffs- well enough of my blubbering time for my fantasmic wonderific reviewers that are yourselves. I will however have a big question for you all at the end of it.

**seguha**

**Sakura-hime9**

**Yimi Makuya**

**-my-name-is-V-**

**Mrs Weasel-Fan**

**Black-Sakura-44**

Thank you all sooo, sooo, soooooooooo much. I can't thank you enough.

I would like to dedicate this chapter to SCREAM-jessamv Because she figured out my whole plotline in like chapter 6, and I would like to dedicate this Part overall to seguha because even if it was just a smilie she sent me a review for every single chapter. So awesome props to her. Thank you both so much.

Okay since this chapter has been so hard to get out, I've taken to (like many artists), listening to music. Maybe it'll get your mood right if you listen to them while reading it?

_Simple and clean_ By Utada Hikaru, _AM to Pm_ By Cristina Milian, _Teardrops on my Guitar_ by Taylor Swift, _Potential Breakup song_ by Aly and AJ, _Slipped Away_ by Avril Lavigne, _Cancer_ by My Chemical Romance, _Thnks Fr th Mmrs_ by Fall Out Boy, _Famous Last Words_ by My Chemical Romance, _One Girl Revolution_ by Saving Jane, Hit_ me with your best shot_ by Pat Benatar, _Dearest_ by Ayumi Hamasaki, and _Without you_ by Ian Vahn Dahl

Yeah I know I listen to a lot of Different Music. Deal.

-- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

_**Disclaimer:**_

**Me:** -sighs- final chapter. –Starts crying and curls up in corner- someone just do it already! UWAAAAAAH!

**Cari:** Forget the Canon characters! This job requires and OC! –Heroic pose-

**Me:** -sniffs and blinks- Really Cari? You'll finish off part I for me?

**Cari:** Of course dearest! I am you after all!

**Me:** Thank you.

**Cari:** No problem! –Ahem- Bundyangel does NOT own Naruto the series, character or anything of any relation to it. She claims nothing but her fanfiction she writes, the fanart she draws and Me! Cari Oonishi! Her original character!

**Me:** Thank you dearest. –Hugs Cari-

**Cari:** Of course. –Hugs back-

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

"Baaaka"- regular speech

'_Baaaka'_-thoughts, flashbacks, and italics

_Baaaka_-Inner Sakura's world

'_**Baaaka!'**_- Inner self's

The Ancient Curse of Love PART I OF III

Part 1 - Running from the pain

Chapter 12: Running far away from here.

By Bundyangel

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Sakura remembered the first time she saw Neji use the Byakugan

Sakura remembered the day Sasuke left.

Sakura remembered the day Shikamaru became a Jounin.

Sakura remembered when she first saw Naruto and Hinata on a date.

_Naruto… Hinata…_

_Sakura walked down the road, rather tired after a full shift at the hospital and training with Shizune before that. Sakura pumped what little remaining chakra she had in her body to her brain in an attempt to keep it awake as well as the rest of her body._

_Sakura looked up as she heard a well known yet rarely heard quiet feminine laughter._

_Peeling her eyes open she looked through her lashes to see the back of the Hyuuga Heiress and her favorite Ramen lover._

_Her eyes widened and she shook her head, before taking a step back and looking again. _

_No… Her eyes weren't deceiving her she was indeed looking at the Konoha loudmouth and female Hyuuga sitting at their favorite ramen stand, eating ramen and… Holding Hands._

_Sakura smiled and grew still when Hinata looked over her shoulder at her. Sakura smiled and gave a small wave. Hinata smiled back lightly before turning back to her ramen, and the boy at her side managing to talk a mile a minute as well as eat numerous bowls of Ramen._

_Sakura mentally approved before turning back and returning on her way home,_

'_They will be happy… I wonder who asked who out?'_

_--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---_

Sakura slowly opened her eyelids, never realizing till that moment how heavy they were. For that matter she never realized how heavy her whole body felt. Clawing her way out of her sleep and into the real world she opened her eyes fully to look at a familiar white ceiling and a annoyingly familiar beep.

As much as she loved this place, she hated it just as fierce.

She loved walking around and helping or watching people heal and improve. She hated being the person healing in the bed.

Sakura attempted to sit up and managed about half a foot before she felt restraints on her arms, and she could go no further. Flopping back down on the bed, she languidly turned her head and stared in grotesque humor at the dark brown leather restraints around he wrists and elbows. Testing her body she felt those same restraints on her ankles and across her thighs.

Someone wanted her to become a masochist.

Wondering why she had almost no chakra, Sakura looked around, finally noticing that the other bed in the room was occupied. Sitting up the half foot again and stretching her neck out, she saw dark purple hair and a pale complexion, with quite a few bruises.

Her now green/yellow eyes widened and a cold sweat beaded her brow.

That was Hinata in that bed.

Sakura herself was strapped down in a hospital bed.

Hinata was hurt.

Sakura had thrown her into a cement wall.

She had hurt Hinata.

She had hurt kindhearted gentle natured Hinata.

"Oh God!" Sakura sat up again and tried to pull free of the restraints.

Sakura struggled wildly, the fear and revulsion of her actions, making her struggles frantic. Sakura wasn't even thinking rationally anymore. All she knew was that she had to get away.

She had to get away _now_.

She needed to be far away from Hinata, from anyone. How could they put Hinata in the same room as her? The girl would probably go into hysterics upon the sight of her.

Neji would never speak to her again.

Hinata's father would demand her to be killed for attempting to murder his clan's heir.

Naruto would shun her for attempting to kill his girlfriend.

Kiba and Shino would have hostility to her for trying to kill their teammate.

Ino would look at her with disgust because she was Kiba's girlfriend and wouldn't want to disagree with him.

Her teammates would follow. Shikamaru would ignore her, and Chouji would look at her with fear or repulsion even if he was too kindhearted to say anything.

Sakura felt tears coursing down her cheeks, as she pulled frantically at her arms. Her distressed noises becoming upset cries, and then open pleas,

"Let me out! I have to get away! Someone get these off. I can't stay here! Not with her. Please! Someone?! Anyone! Please just set me free!" Sakura choked on a sob and the monitors started going insane as her vitals sped up to an unhealthy pace.

The female Hyuuga heiress soon woke to the sounds and cries. Her special eyes taking in Sakura and then quickly filling with tears, as what Sakura was crying started to comprehend.

Sakura was scared for Hinata. Sakura was scared of herself. She was scared she would hurt her again. She was scared she would lose control again,

"Sakura… Please stop." Sakura sobbed,

"I can't! I can't stay here. I can't be around you. I'll lose control again. I'll hurt you again! I can't be here with you. I can't stay, I… I just can't!"

"Sakura Please! You're scaring me…" Sakura whipped her head around to stare at Hinata,

"I should! Look at me! I'm a cursed human. I can't even control myself! I could kill you and I wouldn't be able to do anything about it! I could hurt someone and have no explanation to why I did it! I should scare you! I should frighten everyone! Look at me! I'm tied down at the mere thought that I could come undone again! Who knows if the next time I will even be able to come back!" Hinata was openly crying now staring at Sakura as she stared back,

"Then… What will you do?"

"I… I don't know. I just have to go… away. I have to be sealed or locked away somewhere where I can't ever hurt anyone ever again." Hinata shook her head,

"That wont solve anything, Sakura-san. You are just being irrational now. I understand that you were not yourself and-… "

"Don't you see?! This _is _me now! I will never be able to remove this mark. I can revert to that… that _thing_ at any time." Hinata furrowed her eyebrows and looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Sakura… If I take off your… restraints. Will you calm down and think clearer?" Sakura stared at Hinata as she moved from her bed,

"I… I don't know. But I can't be free around you! I could hurt you!" Hinata smiled lightly,

"I'll only undo your wrists then, so you can at least be more comfortable." Sakura bit her lip but then nodded.

Hinata was careful and undid Sakura's arm restraints before backing up and sitting on her own bed,

"Any better?" Sakura nodded mutely as she sat up and wrapped her arms around herself.

Hinata curled her legs up to her chest and rested the side of her head on her knees as she mutely watched Sakura's internal misgivings. There was a shift behind her and Hinata gasped lightly to the quick pressure on a point at the back of her neck, she knew would render her unconscious.

Sakura's head shot up at Hinata's light gasp and she saw her being shifted into a sleeping position by the most unlikely of characters,

"Sasuke? What on earth are you doing here…?" The Uchiha looked up sharply before ignoring the question completely.

Sakura was confused and made an impatient noise,

"Sasuke!" He was next to her in a second with a glare,

"Do you want me discovered?" Sakura gave him a flat look and he made a 'tch' noise before continuing.

"I'm here to tell you that I've been ordered back to sound. Orochimaru seems convinced that since I've been here so long, I don't want to go back." Sasuke cut across her when Sakura attempted to speak,

"I'll be waiting at Sound should you choose to joining me. If not… the next time I see you, I'll kill you." Before Sakura could blink she was forced back on the bed and her hands were re-strapped down, he smirked down at her,

"Until when." He disappeared in a flash and Sakura blinked in confusion,

'_What did he mean by 'Until when'?'_

'_**How the hell should I know?'**_

'_I didn't expect you to know Inner.'_

'_**Then WHY the Hell did you ask?!'**_

'_What's got you so riled up?'_

'_**Oh I dunno… Maybe the fact I couldn't talk to you for HOURS while you let the stupid fucking seal take so complete total control of you to the point where killing didn't even register as an act in your mind!'**_

'_Oh.'_

'_**YEAH FUCKING 'Oh.'!!!!'**_

'_I'm so sorry Inner… I thought Naruto was dead and the attack and… I just lost it.'_

'_**YEAH YOU DID!'**_

'_I'm Sorry Inner! Okay?!'_

'_**Me too.'**_

Sakura sighed and let her mind slip into silence as she felt her exhaustion take over and pull her under once again.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

The silver bespectacled man smiled and pushed his glasses up his nose,

"So, You do believe she will come to us?" The brooding male ignored the other for a moment,

"I think she will come out of fear. I do not want that." The traitor Uchiha looked off to the right at the village of Konoha and the red sunset. The other chuckled,

"Well It really doesn't matter what you want as long as Sakura-chan comes to sound as Orochimaru-sama wants." The silver-haired man smiled at the kunai suddenly at his neck,

"It is always about what I want. And do not call her that. You have not the right."

"My apologies Sasuke-san. What do you wish me to address her as? Wench? Medic? Uchiha whore?" The kunai slid silently across his neck and a fist smashed into his face, as did a knee to his gut.

The male medic to the snake Sannin, quickly healed his injuries without an effort and picked himself up,

"You have a way to go on controlling your emotions Sasuke-san." Sasuke glared at him,

"Leave." Kabuto did a mock bow,

"But of course Sasuke-san, what the Uchiha dictates happens." The medic was gone before the kunai made contact with the bark behind him.

Sasuke retrieved his kunai and pocketed before turning and looking in the hospital window at the sleeping restrained kunoichi before jumping away following the path out Kabuto had made.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Sakura couldn't stay here.

She knew that.

They however, hadn't even untied her in almost a week. It was plain to her that until they found a way to control her or remove the seal they were not going to set her free.

The only other place to go was Sound. And every day and night she lay strapped to the hospitals bed was another day that the window the offer gave to her grew smaller and smaller.

They had Hinata moved to another room so now she was by herself.

Sakura had discussed her options over and over again with Inner Sakura to the point where her mind was finally strait.

'_**So. We've got 3 days left. Do we take it or not? If we do, we have to break out of this hospital tonight.'**_

'_Do you honestly think we could do it?'_

'_**Hells yeah.'**_

'_Alright then. Inner?'_

'_**Hmm?'**_

'_I'm going to need the seal's help to get out of this one. Do you think you could… I dunno… bargain with it, so it doesn't take complete control and listens to me at least for a little while?'_

'_**Damnit Outer! You know I hate that thing with a burning passion!'**_

'_I know, but we will need it.'_

'_**UGH. FINE.'**_ Sakura saw and felt her inner self stomp over to the seal and poke it lightly. She restrained the gasp as she felt it rouse slightly.

Inside Sakura's mind the seal became the form of one iridescent white snake with purple eyes,

'_Do you need ssssomething, inner entity?' Its tongue flicked at her aggravatingly and Inner Sakura huffed._

'_**Outer and I are planning. If we do in fact leave for the Hidden Sound Village, we will need your help.'**_

'_Obvioussssly.'_

'_**Shut up snake. Now we need a promise from you.'**_

'_What exactly?'_

'_**That when you start to take over Outer, you do not dominate completely like last time, and you allow Outer to remain in control of her body.' **__The snake contemplated quietly,_

'_I will allow thissss. But only thissss time. After thissss I sssshall make no more promissssessss.'_

'_Thank you. There is one more thing though… Do you think you could clear my chakra network of the chakra depletion formula they have been pumping into me?'_

'_It will be painful but I do believe sssso, yessss.'_

'_Once again, thank you.' The snake nodded before disappearing back into the lightly glowing pile in Sakura's mind._

Sakura braced herself and clenched her jaw as it felt as suddenly there was fire pouring through her veins as well as several small sharp pointy objects. Sakura broke out in a cold sweat and she struggled not to cry out. After a few minutes it stopped and Sakura gasped lightly in relief finally feeling all her controllable chakra.

Grabbing firmly a hold of it she pumped to her arms and ripped free of the restraints, removing them from her wrists and undoing her ankles.

Quickly looking around her Sakura eyed anything of use in her journey out of Konoha. Grabbing up two packs of senbon needles as well as a couple scalpels, she wrapped them in a strip of cloth torn from the bed sheet before dropping it in the pillowcase from one of the other beds in the room.

Sakura also grabbed a first aid kit, along with two water bottles left on the counter by a previous nurse and tossed them too into the pillowcase. Sakura also stuffed in the remaining torn sheet before making a perfect bunshin to climb into the bed.

Sakura used her chakra to reattach the ripped off arm restraints and with an apologetic look to the bunshin crept to the window, and with a brief chakra scan, jumped out of it.

Landing lightly she cast a genjutsu over herself and made her way to her apartment. Entering quickly and quietly, Sakura dumped the contents form the pillowcase into a backpack and stuffed into it an extra pair of clothes, a pack of kunai, some medicine, and her extra headband.

Swiftly Sakura changed out of the hospital garb into a black version of her normal red outfit. Sakura pulled out her gloves and pulled them on before pulling on her boots. Swinging the back on her back, Sakura bid a silent farewell to her loved apartment.

As soon as she exited the building Sakura made her chakra scalpels and concentrating her chakra ran for the Konoha gates as a blur. Pushing herself faster and faster.

Sakura saw the gates coming up swarming with Konoha shinobi,

'_**This is gonna get ugly.'**_

'_No duh.'_

'_Sssstupid Inner entity.'_

'_**NO ONE ASKED YOU SEAL THING!'**_

'_Shut up both of you, we need to concentrate.'_

Sakura crouched low as she sped forward, holding out her palms as she passed by shinobi, cutting the tendons in the back of their legs, making them immobile. They cried out in surprise and light pain, alerting all shinobi in a small radius of Sakura's whereabouts.

For the next fifteen minutes Sakura spent solely only getting through the Konoha gates and immobilizing as many shinobi as possible that got in her way, not wanting to kill them, but also not wanting to give them the chance to come after her again.

Sakura spun to avoid an attack and saw many more shinobi on their way to investigate the ruckus at the gates,

'_**Get out of there now!'**_

Sakura made a bunch of shadow clones and jumped away from the battle Finally breaching out of the gates and running for dear life.

She knew she had to get to Sound before she was caught, even if she only had a vague idea where it was. She could only hope that Orochimaru informed his scouts of her possible arrival. She really wasn't in the mood to fight Sound Shinobi.

There was a poof in front of her and Sakura skidded to a stop in the Konoha forest as she was now eye to eye with her own sensei,

Hatake Kakashi.

Sakura growled lowly,

"Move Kakashi."

"Where do you think to go?"

"Sound."

"Oh, I see to go after Sasuke."

"I was invited, actually."

"I can't let you go there."

"I wasn't looking for your permission."

"Mmmmmm. I see."

Kakashi had thrown a kunai forward in a heartbeat and was not surprised when it turned into a log.

Looking around he found himself caught in a genjutsu and Sakura's chakra signature rapidly moving away.

--- --- --- --- ---

Sakura ran. And ran. Until she felt she would pass out and never wake up again. She had had several more encounters like the one with Kakashi, but she did not see him again, though she did catch a glimpse of Pakkun at one point.

Sakura felt she was close but was bordering on blacking out.

'_Seal… I think I need you now…'_

'_I am impressssssssed. I did not expect you to get thissss far.'_

'_**JUST DO YOUR JOB STUPID SEAL!'**_

'_Hm.'_

Sakura felt the familiar burning and stinging as the seal activated and spread across her skin, her eyes slipping to the growingly familiar black and golden. Sakura could feel the marks covering her arms and upper torso, as well as see them in the many rips in her clothes.

There was a burst of energy as well as chakra and she sprang forward, faster then ever.

The location of Sound turned to be farther then she expected. It had been almost another hour running through pitch darkness and no sound of the village. She wondered lightly if maybe she was going in the complete wrong direction. Almost taking her by surprise. Sakura saw the sound scouts as she whizzed past them. Their appearance a dim blur, but Sakura knew who they were immediately,

'_I apologize. But I fear without completely taking control thissss issss assss far assss I can ssssupply you. But you have recovered some of your own chakra.'_

'_Thank you anyway, I think I'll do fine from here.'_

'_**DAMN RIGHT WE WILL!'**_

The marks didn't remove from her skin but Sakura felt the seals withdrawal from her mind, Gathering her normal chakra she pushed forward, intent on making it to sound even if she had to army crawl into the gates.

Soon a large building came into view as well as a smaller village. Sakura panted heavily as sweat dripped from her face,

'Hurry Outer, We don't have much left in us.'

'I know…'

Sakura entered the village without a problem; obviously the shinobi had been told that she might arrive. Feeling her fatigue creeping up on her, Sakura pushed harder then ever as she twisted and turned through the village, looking for Sasuke or even someone she knew remotely.

As she neared the largest stone structure she felt the last wisps of chakra disappear, leaving her on pure endurance and adrenaline.

Sakura saw her vision growing hazy as she drew closer and closer to the large stone structure.

Everything was a blur but she managed to make out a small group of people crossing the road in front of her. Sakura's run slowed to a jog and then a fast walking stumble as she neared them. A echoing voice entered her ears,

"AAAh Sakura-san, how lovely for you to join us!' Sakura blinked her eyes rapidly and shook her head,

"O-orochimaru?"

"Why yes Sakura-san?" Sakura coughed lightly and pushed herself to her full height and her eyes cleared for a moment allowing her to see Orochimaru along with Kabuto, Sasuke, and a handful of other sound shinobi.

"I-… I a-accept your offer." Sakura felt her eyes roll backward as she fell forward, her legs collapsing first hitting the dirt and her mind blanked as she approached the ground.

There was happy laughter entering her ears as she was caught in a firm grip.

'_**This better be fucking worth it.'**_

_**--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---**_

**Bundyangel:** -bursts into tears again- UWWAAAH It tis ovah!!! I know I'm the queen of cliffhangers, don't complain at me.

I'm so sorry this chapter is so long but I simply needed it to be this long. I'm also sorry if things seemed rushed, but ya know what. It's my story.

Now for the big question!!!!

**Should I continue the story?**

I feel like sometimes people don't like or take interest in this story. So I'm not going to stress and worry about it if people don't even like it.

I tried to end this part in a place that could be the end or possibly have another part tacked on.

Please for all that is sparkly and yummy review!

It's the last chapter! Give me something here! I need it.


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